Yoda, Great Jedi Master
by Lea-El
Summary: Continues, my story does. Yoda Sequel to Sprout of Dagobah. Update 5 26 06
1. Chapter 1

**Yoda, Great Jedi Master**

**Author: Lea-El**

**Era: **Before the Saga, 800 B.B.Y.

**Description: **My history this is. – Yoda

**Disclaimer: **Many standard years ago I entered the world of Master Lucas. I have never completely left it, though it does not belong to me. I am just glad that we are allowed to visit our friends there from time to time. Especially since that is usually where my daughter is to be found. If it hadn't been for a Sci-Fi geek, that read the book, we might never have found our vacation home there. This is a sequel to **Sprout of Dagobah **this story would make more sense if it were read in order.

**Grammar warning:** English teachers beware. Grammar freaks run. This is a Yoda story. Use of English sentence structure will be suspended for the length of this story. You have been warned. I will not be responsible for damages to you ability to speak correct English. Proceed at your own risk.

* * *

**YODA, Great Jedi Master**

**Chapter One**

_'Spring Meadow - no?_

_River Meadow - no?_

_Damar Meadow - no?_

_Mountain Meadow - no?_

_Where? Only meadows around?'_

_'At first coming by, I avoided. Then sprouts came and much to do. Lately wanted to savor remaining time, I did. Now where is it? In Damar Meadow near parents, landed there Tarbocca did. Also when visiting at Yona's Ceremony of Lights, Damar Meadow we landed. Spring Meadow when visiting Yessa, I landed. Know Mountain Meadow last landing sight, farther away, out of sight, it was. Yet, no ship do I see.'_ Yoda thought. Decades had passed since he had been here, ten decades. Now that it was time to leave and there was no ship.

_'Yessa not using mind tricks to keep me here...? No.' _Yoda sat back on a rock and tossed pebbles across the way._ 'Force denying me ability to return? Maybe? Truth from a certain point of view always dangerous if point in wrong direction.' _ He tossed another pebble. _'Why did I not check by in last hundred years? Oh! Well look again tomorrow.' _He thought as he tossed his last pebble. **(Clank)**

He turned and noticed a flash of sunlight in metal and ran over and brushed off the dirt and grass to find a corner. He brushed and scrapped until almost sunset before he got it all uncovered. Then there were the boulders and rocks pilled up all around it he had to move but not today. Yessa was waiting with supper._ 'Supper! Late I am. Spoil her last dinner, in trouble I will be.' _ Yoda rushed back to his home and started cleaning up as quickly as possible.

"Yoda, look like you buried your ship, you do." Yessa mock scolded him, tonight was no time to fight.

"No, unburied. Apparently Yopa not like yard ornament so close to his home, camouflaged it. Covered it in dirt and planted grass on top and surrounded by boulders it was. Took all day to find, still not get inside to test it." Yoda said.

"Want to leave yet, you do not." Yessa said and snuggled her head on his shoulder.

"Not want to leave you, you mean." He said and buried his nose in her hair and breathed in the memory of her scent.

"Well I know, galaxy you have to save, many evils to fight and friends to protect. Miss you, I will." Yessa sighed.

"Always in my thoughts you will be, my beloved Yessa. Nyla and Gen will be with you to keep you safe for me." Yoda bemoaned.

"Safe from what a lightening bug or one of the fish?" She chided sweetly.

Yoda smiled. "Not everyone out there is friendly. Hard I worked to keep Dagobah free of 'off worlders'. Even Dagobah not safe if evil exist out there."

**oOo**

The next morning he slipped out of bed before the sun was up and continued his project to uncover the ship. He still had provisions to load and would the engines still work after all these years? This could be a very short trip. _'Stay with Yessa, No! I have to go to make sure our home was safe.' _Finally he moved the last boulder and was able to open the ramp._ 'Wow! Thought Tarbocca's ship smelled bad, come last week and opened a window, I should have.' _ He thought as he worked his way to the cookery and threw out molded plants and roots that had almost turned to dirt. He cleaned out the fresher and pulled the mattress off of the bed and set it outside to air out. Soon the smells of a Dagobah spring was circulating through the vents and it started to feel like home again. He found mementos from his adventures some happy and some sad, a drawing Nyla had made of Master Moth, a stone left over from when his making her a lightdagger after she became Queen, an out-grown robe that one of the twins left on board and his Wookie blanket Tarbocca had given his the first night he left Dagobah.

Now he was starting a new journey, a new life and he would have many more memories but also much sadness. He had spent much of his sabbatical learning to deal with loss, because loss and fear of loss leads to the Darkside. Master Moth had told him many years ago that he would not last long outside of Dagobah if he did not learn to deal with the loss of friends and loved ones. Death was such a different thing off of Dagobah, so tragic, so unwarranted.

He heard a noise behind him and turned to see friends and family bringing in containers of foodstuffs and new blankets. Yessa and Yara scrubbed, organized, stocked and even cooked him something to eat on his trip. Yara had made him a new robe in the Jedi style to wear. Yessa came in and made his bed with bedding, mattress and all, she had made just for him. Yav made him a new flute and Nyla and Gen, his sprouts had carved a figurine of the family including their sprouts now almost as tall as their grandfather, he had imparted as much knowledge as he could to them, in the all to short time he had with them. All Yendell knew how to use the Force but the Jedi training fine tuned it and offered new possibilities and protections for them to learn.

He had told stories of the outside galaxy to the people he loved and they respected his decision to go, realizing it was for their protection. Yet there was sadness in seeing him go. His in-laws had listened to his stories with special interest and the father of the root had named the sprouts Jedi names in honor of his son-in-laws friends. Yoda was pleased with his choices and thrilled to be a father. He taught his children many of the things he had learned in his years at the library and under Master Moth's tutelage.

Now they were showing their support by assisting his departure. This was so different from his first departure as a sprout; then he had left in the night hoping to finally see the stars that had fascinated him for so long. The efforts of his family warmed his heart and he took a few minutes with each member until finally only he and Yessa remained on board. "Think your Jedi Council would believe your housecleaner I am?"

Yoda smiled and said. "The outside world, I don't think you would like, to disorganized and the foods they eat." He shook all over. "Promise to come back when I can." He held her for a moment then she joined their sprouts and their families. They sang to him as he closed the ramp and headed into the sky. He could hear them in his head long after the sun of Dagobah was a point of light.

**oOo**

For some reason he headed to Verrell even though he knew Moth was long gone and so was Taryn and they didn't have children on Verrell when he last saw them. He flew into the meadow near Taryn's place and got out and walked toward the house. As he approached the garden wall he heard a woman singing, a song he had heard Taryn sing to her children on many occasions. She looked up and smiled. "Hello, Master Yoda. Grampa said to tell you Hi!"

She escorted him into the house and pulled a stool up to the table and offered him a plate of roots and bulbs that family tales had passed down were his favorite of all Verrellian delicacies. Yoda bounced up on the stool, picked up a root, tasted it and asked. "How know I was coming did you?"

She pulled Grandpa's letter out of her pocket and showed it to him. I was a long tale of their adventures and a time line of when to expect him. He was early by about six hours. On the wall behind her was a framed drawing Nyla had made of him when she was still a Padawan. Yoda smiled and handed the letter back to the woman, just then the door opened and a young boy came running in and stopped cold when he saw Yoda. "You 'ere all weady. dreat dreat dramdpa said you wo'dn't be here til tanight."

"Came straight here just to see you, I did." Yoda said to the boy almost as tall as he was. "Promised Great great grampa, I would."

"Gama sa's I goin' ta tha tem'le wif ya to be Jadi like dreat dreat drampa. I'm Wan. I'm way ofer two. Gama sa's I ta'k to ma… to ma… a lot.'

The door opened again and a young couple came in, they hadn't been able to keep up with the boy in his haste. "Hello, I'm Kotn. You have to be Master Yoda. As Wan was saying he is going to go to the Temple and be trained to be Jedi and we had hoped you would be the one to take him."

Yoda smiled and said. "Yes. Love to take him, I would."

"As I'm sure Grama Cali has said we make a point to send someone from each generation to the Temple in honor of Great Great Grandpa Moth." The Father said proudly.

An older girl, about ten stepped in and said. "And someone, usually a girl, stays and becomes a healer like Great Great Grandma Taryn, that's me. I'm Nyla."

"Happy to meet you, I am. Look like another Nyla I knew a long time age, you do." Yoda said puzzled.

"Grama's mother was Quianna and her father was Ben. They sent Grama to live with Grama Taryn when Grampa Moth died." She said matter-of-factly. "I am going to be a Sage like the women in my family."

"Granpa Moth was great healer too." Yoda said. "Taught me many things, he did."

**oOo**

Yoda finished his visit on Verrell and he and Wan headed to Coruscant, it was a lively trip with Wan chattering all the way. "Wha's tis button for? When'll I gets a wightsaber? When'll you gets big? What's dat you cooksin?"

_'This one will be a problem for the Master of the creche.'_ Yoda thought.

On arriving at Coruscant Yoda and his charge headed to the Temple, everything was familiar yet somehow quite different. The attendant outside the Council Chamber was very young and unknown to Yoda. As he approached she looked up from her paperwork and said. " Ah! Master Yoda, the Council is expecting you go right in."

"Thank you. See that my charge gets to orientation for younglings, would you. Come by later to answer questions on origins, I will."

"Yes, Master Yoda." She said and took Wan's hand. "Hello! Little fellow, how are you today?"

As Yoda entered the Council Chamber he could hear Wan. "I'm goin' ta be a dreat Jadi 'ike my dreat dreat drandpa Mof. He wus Mafter Oda's mafter."

Yoda smiles at Wan's bravado. _'Runs in family, it does.'_ He thought.

"Master Yoda, we have been expecting you." The head of the Council said as Yoda entered.

"Master Ahanu, pleased to see you, I am. Not aware your species lived this long, I was." Yoda said to his former Padawan.

"You remembered I wasn't sure you would." TJ said to his former Master. "We had just changed our names when you were leaving."

"Well I hope your brother is." Yoda said.

"Yes, Ahava's on Alderaan on business. He had hoped to be back for your return. He says, "Hello."

"Tell him happy to hear he is well, I am." Yoda said and watched as Ahanu smiled the smile that Yoda had come to recognize as message had been sent and received.

"I hear you brought someone with you, who is our latest charge?" Ahanu asked.

"Family of someone we knew, he is. Master Moth's descendant, Wan Kenobi, talkative little fellow, he is." Yoda informed the Head of the Council.

"Productive family Master Moth has, already several Knights they have produced. How did you manage to find him so quickly?" Ahanu asked.

"Promised to look up family when came out of seclusion, promise fulfilled, I did." Yoda said.

"Would you like time to rest up before you start on an assignment or are you ready to be assigned now." Ahanu asked.

"Rested for one hundred years, ready to work, I am." Yoda answered.

"Go pick out a Padawan and I will give you your next mission." Ahanu said. "There are some good choices. I look forward to seeing your pick."

**oOo**

Yoda went to the creche to provide the Master with the information about their newest charge. The Master of the creche looked strangely familiar. "Know you do I?" Yoda asked.

The kindly older lady smiled and said. "Know my grandmother you did, Master Yoda. Her name was Delila; she was Nyla's sister. I am Alexa Jinn, when I gave up my place in line to the throne the -el was dropped."

"Well I hope the Pyotr side of the family is doing. One of your family of Quianna's line, Wan is." Yoda explained.

"Yes, he has been telling me all about the family, a vocal little fellow he is." Master Jinn said imitating Yoda speech to which Yoda smiled.

"Apparently runs in family, it does." Yoda said thinking about how Nyla and Delila had loved to imitate his speech pattern.

"Master Yoda was that an insult from you." Master Jinn asked.

"Never such a thing to a fellow Master, would I do." Yoda said. "Looking for a Padawan I am, any suggestions do you have?" Yoda carefully changed the subject.

"There is someone that you should see a young woman almost thirteen that is looking for a Master and I think you two would be perfect for each other. Follow me." Master Jinn said and headed down the hall at her usual pace causing Yoda to have to double time it to keep up.

_'Forgot how fast 'off worlders' walk, I have.'_ Yoda thought.

Master Jinn got to the sparring room and turned and remembered Yoda's short legs and started to apologize but he waved her off.

"Ah! See what you mean, I do. Fine young lady she appears to be." Yoda said as he watched the two sparring.

"How do you know which one I am suggesting?" Alexa asked.

"Obvious it is, the Wookie." Yoda said. "Related to Chabocca, I would presume."

"Yes, his daughter, I am told you know the family. They especially asked for you to be her Master, if possible," Master Jinn told him.

**oOo**

Ahanu was waiting for Yoda when he arrived to get his assignment. "How did your selection turn out?"

"Picked the Wookie, I did." Yoda informed him. "Tanacca, picking her up as soon as leave here, I am. Wanted to talk to you in private first, I do. Still playing switch game, you two are." Yoda said to his former Padawan.

"We were wondering if you would figure that out." Ahava said and laughed the obvious twin's bonded laugh. "They wanted one of us to be on the Council and one not, so this way we all get what we want." Ahava added. "Now for your assignment. I waited one hundred years to say that to my former Master."

"Master Yoda, there is a turf war on Duken, a planet close to Kashyyyk. I thought you might want to be assigned to deal with it since it would allow you to make a brief visit to see your old friends and give Tanacca a tour of her home world."

**oOo**

Yoda and Tanacca set down at the Kashyyyk spaceport. Yoda shut off the engine and headed to the ramp. Tanacca was puzzled as she watched her Master creep down the ramp as if he was going into battle. Then around the corner burst Chabocca and as Yoda had expected he grabbed him and under protest threw him about twenty feet into the air caught him by the leg, shook him and threw him up again caught him then gave him a Wookie hug. All the time Yoda was hollering "No! Master I am! Not appro…priate! No!"

Tanacca Brayed! "Master! What are you doing to my Master? The Shame!"

Chabocca almost dropped Yoda when he realized who his Padawan was. "Tanacca!" He brayed.

Tanacca flinched as her father grabbed her. Braying, "Don't throw me!"

**oOo**

**AN: I hope to post on Fridays. Twice a week was a little hectic.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Tanacca was relieved to only receive a Wookie hug even though the familiarity embarrassed her almost as much. Soon Tarbocca and Naish came and rescued her from her Father's over exuberant embrace. Finally, her mother came into view, her face she remembered more than the others and felt more at ease with the group of strangers once she arrived. Baeza walked calmly over to her and embraced her pushed him back and looked at the child she had allowed to leave and be trained so long ago. Bray: "Well you look, tall and strong you have grown." Bray: "Don't let them embarrass you, wild they are."

This was the voice that she heard at night in her sleep, this was the safe embrace she remembered when she was anxious. Then she realized everyone was watching her and she suddenly felt self-conscious. Bray: "Pleased to see you, Mother."

Baeza introduced her to her brother and sister. Bray: "You're brother Narvik and your sister, Barana." She said pointing to the young Wookies nearby.

Bray: "Welcome to Kashyyyk." The cubs said in a prompted greeting.

**oOo**

Later that night after watching the adults doting over the Jedi, the younger brother and sister had all they could stand of their older sister's prim and proper ways. Bray: "Follow my lead." Bray: "Barana where is your basket?"

Bray: "I left it below while I was playing down there earlier today." Barana brayed.

Narvik brayed: "Mother will be angry with you if you loose another basket."

Barana brayed: "Narvik would you go with me below to get it, I'm scared of the dark."

Narvik brayed: "I'm not a Jedi I can't go searching for baskets in the middle of the night."

Tanacca brayed: "I thought cubs didn't go below because it was to dangerous."

Narvik brayed: "That is just what they tell visitors to keep them from wandering around below." Bray: "Really it is safe enough for a little girl cub to play down there." Bray: "She is just scared of the dark."

Bray: "I will go with you, I am not scared of the dark and I am a Jedi Padawan." Tanacca said proudly.

"Follow us." Narvik brayed.

Narvik got a lantern and lead them out of the house and down a row of houses to an access point for the lower levels and the ground. Narvik and his friends had slipped down there before and knew the way. Tanacca followed unaware of the dangers. As they went lower the night noises became stranger and louder until finally they arrived on solid ground. Bray: "I left it over there, I see it." Barana pointed toward a clearing at the edge of the light cast from the lantern.

Bray Tanacca called: "Wait here and I'll go get it." As Tanacca got into the clear and turned around looking for the basket the light went out. Bray: "What happened?" Bray: "Barana… Narvik?" There was no answer and no sound of movement except the rustling of something in the bushes behind her. She could smell the putrid smell of an animal getting stronger and his last meal still decomposing on his breath. The dark was closing in on her until she felt like there was no air left to breathe. She reached for her lightsaber this was the first time that she had ignited it except for training purposes. The burr drowned out the sound of the rustling and the pale blue light offered some relief from the oppressive darkness. She turned around looking for the tree she had come down but in this light they all looked alike.

She backed up to one of the trees for protection but wasn't sure what was above her either. She started to climb but realized this wasn't the tree she came down so there would be no opening at the top to get through so there was no use in that._ 'I wish I had paid more attention to the lectures on how long a light saber could burn at one time without loosing power.'_ She thought. Something brushed against her leg and she swiped the blade down and heard something yelp and run off, that really made her nervous. Time was no longer a constant down here because she felt as if she had been down here for a lifetime yet she knew it had to only be a short time.

Finally, she decided to move to another tree and see if she could find the right one to get back to the surface. The light from the saber offered enough light to see to walk but did little to see what was going on outside the faint blue glow. The noises were getting louder and the smell was getting stronger again apparently the light from the saber was no longer scaring off the animals in the bushes. She made it to the next tree and decided not to try that again even if she had to staying here all night. She discovered that if she made swipes from side to side the noises got farther away so she made repeated frequent swipes to scare off the noises and relieve her fears.

She heard a soft thud beside her and was about to make a striking blow in that direction when a green lightsaber burred and she smelt the distinct smell of burning flesh and heard a loud thud. "A walk are you going on?"

Bray: "Doesn't sound like as good of an idea as it did." Tanacca brayed in relief not wanting to tell her Master that her younger brother and sister had tricked her into coming down here and left her in the dark.

"Brave to come alone, you are, even grown Wookies come below alone they do not." Yoda told his Padawan.

Bray: "I thought the reports were exaggerations."

"Exaggerate the Jedi Library does not." Yoda counseled his Padawan. "Alone do not come down again."

Bray: "I've learned several lessons tonight." Tanacca told his Master then thought. _'One, never trust a jealous Wookie sibling.'_

On arriving back at the surface Yoda and Tanacca were met by Chabocca, who had come looking for them and was surprised to see them coming up from the surface. Bray: "Why didn't you tell me you were goin' on an adventure I'da loved ta gone with you?"

"Just showing Tanacca around, I was." Yoda said not wanting to embarrass his new Padawan by telling her father that he had to rescue her on her first night on Kashyyyk.

Bray: "She could'a seen more if you had waited 'til morning."

**oOo**

Early the next morning Yoda started preparing for his new assignment, he had been so excited about seeing his Wookie friend that he hadn't been able to concentrate on the trip to Kashyyyk. Now after talking to Tarbocca the night before he realized that a lot had happened in the galaxy while he had been on Dagobah. Ahanu had recorded some information, a small history lesson, for him to catch up with.

**HOLO NEWS RECORDING EXCERPTS**

* * *

**Recording 1**

An alliance had been brokered between the Trade Federation and the Galactic Workers Union better goods and services are promised for all. Queen Sachi of Pyotr was opposed to the alliance saying. "It benefits the wealthy and causes hardship on the poor."

The Head of the Federation says. "Nonsense the workers will benefit from more markets to sell their wares. The Queen of Pyotr has forgotten how the market works in her old age."

**Recording 2**

War broke out between the peoples of Aden and the peoples of Carrere over a boundary world disputed to have belonged to both worlds. "We settled there first so it belongs to us." The Aden representative said to the reporters inquiring into the dispute.

"We move in one hundred years after the Aden abandoned their colonies on Javal and they only protested our settling there when Issru Ironite was found on it. As you know Issru Ironite is used in making hyperspace ships and is much sought after and bring high prices in the markets."

**Recording 3**

A Dark Jedi has begun causing problems with the peoples in the outer worlds and is using his talents to benefit the smugglers in that area. Some have started to question the practice of sending their children to be trained if this is the by-product of that training.

**Recording 4**

People on Talan are protesting the resent visit of the Jedi to that planet. The parents of a Force sensitive child were ostracized by their family for sending their child to be trained by the Jedi. Under pressure from family the parents have requested the return of the child. The Jedi have been slow to respond to the request.

**Recording 5**

A Dark Jedi has set up a school for Jedi on Rustan and is teaching a new kind of Knight one less friendly to the average people. When asked about the school and the new style of Jedi the Head of the Council on Coruscant had no comment.

**Recording 6**

There has been a record number of Jedi Padawans going Dark as they call it. What they mean is they have failed to train the Padawans properly now they have powerful Jedi running around the galaxy harming and maiming innocent peoples for their own profit and benefit.

**Recording 7**

The parents of a child on Oroso reported a Jedi entered their home and took their child from them and threatened to return and kill them if they reported him to the authorities.

_

* * *

'Problems I see have developed, much work there is to be done.' _Yoda sat watching the holo-recordings with disbelief.

Bray: "Need any help?" Yobocca asked coming in behind Yoda unannounced.

"Yobocca, glad to see you, I am. Brings warm felling to my heart to see you again. Yes, all the help we can get, I fear we will need." Yoda told his friend.

Bray: "I had hoped to get back before you arrived. I hear you have an interesting Padawan."

"Yes, reminds me of another youngling I once knew, she does." Yoda said with a smile.

Bray: "Many things have changed since you left some good, many bad. I called Master Ahanu and asked if I could accompany you to Duken. He said he had hoped I would volunteer."

"Our first mission as Masters together this will be interesting." Yoda grinned.

Bray: "Two Wookies and a … what did you say you were?" Yococca brayed.

"A Jedi." Yoda said with a mischievous grin on his face.

**oOo**

AN: Thank you all my reviewers, love hearing from you and your suggestions.

AN2: I must fess up, after reading Kelia's review on the Jedi Council Forum I realized I liked the idea of Tanacca being a girl so I gave her an rewrite. Thank you Kelia for the good idea. Blame me for any confusion. See if you review I sometimes use your ideas. Hint hint...


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Later that day Yoda, Tanacca and Yobocca left for their assignment to Duken. On arriving they were met by a group of rebels unhappy with the Jedi being called in on what they considered a private matter. "Come with us peacefully or you will be fired on." The head of the rebels group said in a gruff voice.

"Peaceful Jedi we are, no need to fire." Yoda answered calmly.

"Hand over your light things." The head rebel said.

"Hand over our lightsabers, we will not. Use them, we will not. Respect your authority, we do." Yoda said respectful of the leader. "Name do you have? Yoda, I am."

"OK! You can keep your light things but lay on hand on them and Keln will shoot. My name is Blume. Follow me!" Blume turned and started down a path leading away from the spaceport and the village nearby. It was evident that these were not the ones that had asked for help in the boundary dispute. The terrain was rugged and the rebels were tall so Yoda had to call upon the Force just to keep up. Yobocca brayed: "Do you need a lift?"

Yoda shook his head, "No." He didn't want to have to get a ride and give the rebels the satisfaction of putting him in a position of weakness. The terrain continued to get rougher, huge jagged rocks protruding out in all direction started to cause his feet to bleed. Finally, Yobocca reached down and got him by the collar and tossed him up on his back and snorted. Yoda gave a soft sigh of relief and said a Force. / _Thank you!_ / To this friend. He turned to check on Tanacca and saw she was keeping up and didn't even seem winded. _'Tough even for a Wookie, her father's daughter, she is.' _Yoda thought as he remembered some of his and Chabocca's adventures in their youth. _'Already talking like Yaren and only two hundred years old, I am.'_

Yoda realized they were walking them in circles to tire them out and confuse them about the way back so he asked the leader. "Lost are you? Happy to help you find your camp, I would be?"

Blume stopped and backtracked to the last fork in the trail and took the other fork and was at the camp quickly. He mumbled under his breath when he realized he had been figured out but took satisfaction in knowing that Yoda had to get help during the trip.

The camp was a military style camp; tents lined up around a central fire pit where an older man was cooking something in a large pot, Master Moth had always called it live-off-the-land-stew. Yoda thought it smelt delicious, the rebels thought it was punishment for not winning the previous battle. Men in various stages of dress were standing around with bowels of the stew, using words Yoda had never heard but recognized as unflattering descriptions of the stew. The leader stopped and offered the visitors some of the stew with a smug grin, expecting similar expressions from the guest. Yobocca and Tanacca declined but Yoda took the bowel offered him and ate heartily, offering the cook a healthy belch as his compliment. Once again Blume was disappointed his planned insult turned out to Yoda advantage.

"Follow me!" Blume barked and led them to a tent and motioned them inside. Inside were the leaders of the other factions fighting with Blume against the Dukena. The older man in the rear of the tent didn't seam pleased when he realized that Blume had allowed them to keep their lightsabers. _'I suspected he had a weak mind.'_ He thought.

A somewhat younger man with an attitude problem stepped forward and bragged. "I see our Jedi hostages have arrived. I'm surprised I thought Jedi scum always knew just what they were walking into, it seams the stories are exaggerated like all war stories are. I am Zeke Tanall, I was once on the road to be one, then I discovered a better road."

"Faster your road may be but better, humm, think so I do not." Yoda said stretching to his full height as Yobocca lowered him to the ground beside him.

"I have heard about you from some friends of mine, rumor has it you have been off learning more about the Force. Tell us what did you learn?" Zeke sneered as he looked down at Yoda. "Huh! Little man!"

"Learned not to walk into a trap, I did." Yoda said with his I have a secret grin.

"Apparently not." Zeke said overconfidently. Yoda watched as the older man slipped out the back flap of the tent, leaving the rats to go down with the ship.

"Seams when to abandon the fight, your dominator knows." Yoda told the oppressor.

Zeke laughed and turned to his benefactor, the laugh faded when he realized he was no longer behind him. "He must have gone to check on something." Zeke said for his benefit as much as to answer Yoda's challenge.

"His escape route maybe?" Yoda said with a mischievous grin.

Zeke jump visibly when he heard lightsabers burring outside the tent, multiple blue and green flashes could be seen through the tents cloth walls. Zeke pulled a blaster from his belt and started firing, as did the rest of his cohorts.

Yoda was concerned for Tanacca since this was her first time in battle and because of the incident on Kashyyyk, or below it. Yobocca had apparently had the same thought since he had arranged for her to be between them. One look at her and they both knew there was nothing to worry about as she batted several blast while avoiding hitting the two overly protective Masters book-ending her.

Yoda then concentrated on Zeke, who had pulled out a lightsaber and ignited it with his other hand. The red glow made Yoda's blood run cold, he had only seen one before and that was when he was a Padawan. Master Moth's former Master the designer of the Force desensitizing drug had wielded one. Yoda bounced twirled and batted the offending red blade, twirled and landed on the other side of the tent. He bounced and came back again batting the blade and then taking a swipe at the holder, frying a swath across his leg. Zeke flinched and stabbed at Yoda in his anger. Yoda bounced out of the way and said. "Lesson you didn't learn, anger removes control, lack of control causes injury." He said swiping at the charging opponent, leaving another swipe across his other leg, a painful yet not deadly blow. "Give up do you?" Yoda asked.

"No you will have to kill me first." Zeke's deep voice rumbled.

"Kill you I will not, trial you will stand." Yoda told the furious Sith.

"**NEVER!**" Zeke shouted and charged Tanacca firing his blaster and stabbing at her with his red lightsaber with a hatred that defied reason.

Yoda bounced and removed the tyrant's head fractions of a second before he got to her. Tanacca had batted the blaster bolts but would not have been able to deal with the lightsaber too. Zeke dropped to the floor of the tent with a thud. "Want to do that, I did not." Yoda sighed.

Yobocca and Tanacca had disarmed two of the cohorts one literally and three had fled limping from ricocheted blaster bolts and lightsaber wounds. The army of Jedi had landed undetected and had rounded up the rebel army.

Master Ahava came in the tent as soon as the battle outside was under control. "Casualties were kept to a minimum, the foot soldiers were in it for the money so they gave up without a major fight. What happened here?" He said as he saw Yoda standing over the headless body.

"Surrender, he would not. Charged Tanacca when I would not kill him. Anger, much he had in him." Yoda said sadly.

Master Ahava stepped over and disengaged the red blade, clipped it to his belt and said. "Do we know if this was the Master or the Apprentice?"

"Apprentice, slipped out just before you arrived, the Master did. Older man in a black robe, he was." Yoda informed the brother of the Head of the Jedi Council. "Good to see you safe, it is."

"Are you all right?" Master Ahava asked a visibly shaken Tanacca.

"Yes," She brayed. "I was just shaken by his anger, his hatred of me."

"Not you, hatred of what you stand for, Jedi principles, good over bad, he hated." Yoda explained to his Padawan. Then he turned to Master Ahava and said. "Why we need to deal with problems of Padawans going dark, this is."

"Yes, Ahanu is planning an assembly of Masters at the Temple next month to deal with this issue." He said with an expression that told Yoda that the information had just been received from his twin. This was one of the advantages of having one of them as head of the Jedi Council. They were always in a Force bond link, always knowing exactly what the other was thinking and doing.

"Tell him good idea I think that is." Yoda told his former Padawan since this was his former Padawan; the brothers were still impersonating each other. _'The head of the Jedi Council going into battle, oh well…'_ Yoda thought.

**oOo**

A hunt for the Sith Lord proved futile he had apparently planned his escape well and wasn't going to let the Jedi defeat his plans so easily. He fled to this home base to plan his next foray. He was met at his hidden spaceport by the woman he had picked up during his travels. He hoped to start a community of extremely Force-strong Sith and from the looks of Rikki his next addition to the 'family' was soon to arrive.

Rikki had been raised in a part of the galaxy that didn't know about the Force and she had been ostracized for her abilities to use it. Life for her had been hard, even her family had turned away from her. She learned hate before she learned to walk and she proved to be the perfect mate for a Sith lord. This wasn't a love match, more of a match of convenience. She gave him the pupils he wanted and he gave her the ability to return the hatred she had grown to feel for those around her. Revenge was never a pretty word but she gave it new depths. There was a definite pecking order in their house and you didn't want to be the low man in the order.

"I see you are about to pop again." Killum said harshly since that was what she expected and all she would respect.

"Yah and so is Thanak, so you're sleeping alone unless you brought another body for your harem."

Two women that had rather stab him in the back as look at him was enough even for a Sith. "No! I have other things to do. I don't have time for breeding."

"Breeding! Don't expect me to cook for you! Breeding! I'll make you think breeding." Rikki mumbled as she walked back to the house and slammed the door behind her. He could still hear her complaining even through the walls.

He looked over the gate to the meadow below where his future followers were playing. They gave new meaning to the words, war games. Some of these participants were the product of his breeding program and some were collected from around the galaxy under the guise of being new participants to the Jedi training program, others were just plainly stolen and he made sure that the Jedi would be blamed. _'Killum's Sith Army!'_ He thought.

**oOo**

**AN: Dark this chapter was. Go meditate I think I will.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

The assembly of Jedi Masters and Knights was fast approaching and the spaceport was humming. Yoda was overseeing the refit to his ship, several problems had arisen on the trip back to Coruscant and it became evident that the hundred years of being buried had caused more problems than had first been evident, the last leg of the trip had been a long limping nightmare. Yobocca was advising Yoda on the latest development in space travel and getting in the way of the technicians more than helping. As with all females Tanacca was doing some decorating on her room to make it more comfortable. Yoda had learned along time ago to stay out of the way of a decorating female of any species. He just hoped she wasn't one of the potpourri everywhere females.

**oOo**

Masters Ahanu and Ahava had Yoda over to their apartment to talk about the upcoming meeting and things that could be done to solve the problems going on in the Order.

"Strange to see you together and dressed differently, it is." Yoda said to the twins.

"Yes. It causes less confusion that way." They laughed in unison and falling back into their 'twin speak' with 'their' former Master and friend. "It is strange to see you again too, looking just like we remembered you did one hundred years ago, except hasn't your complexion has changed just a little less yellow in your green." Ahanu asked.

"Humm! Implying old I look are you?" Yoda teased.

"Oh! No! We just…we didn't." The twins said in their old twin speak.

"Still gullible, you are." Yoda teased.

"We weren't expecting our old Master to…" Ahava started.

"What …how … Master Juri?" Yoda couldn't find the words to ask about his old friend.

"There was an explosion at a Consulate, she was there protecting an Ambassador. She went back to save a young aid and was caught in the blast but she saved the young aid." Ahava said sadly. "We still miss her, after you left…"

Ahanu cleared his throat and changed the subject back to the problems in the order. " Master Yoda I know you always said the children should be taught beginning at an earlier age. Since you left there has been a new test developed to help identify the children that are force sensitive and we hope it will help with this process. The question is when to give the test, some planets think we should give the test at birth and some want to wait until the child is older."

"Earlier is always better for child, before they experience life outside the Order, much fear and anger out there, bad effects on child then and later in life, it will have." Yoda agreed with the Head of the Council.

"Yes, we should push for as early a testing age as the planet will agree to and live with the rest." Ahava added.

"The dark Padawans anything being done about them, is there?" Yoda added.

"We are setting up a committee to review the training of them and see where or if anything could be done to change the outcome. Most of the Padawans that went Dark were being trained by Masters that have successfully trained other Padawans, so it is not a fault of their training that we feel is the problem." Ahanu said with an unusual determination in his voice.

"Avar Natel was his Padawan." Ahava said.

"Ahh! How embarrassing!" Yoda said surprised at this revelation.

"One day he was a strong Jedi very conscious of the Light and the next thing I knew he was full of anger and hate. What changed I haven't figured out yet, I fully intend to or die trying." Ahanu said then took a calming breath before continuing.

"I am still awaiting information from the Oroso government officials about the child that was taken forcibly, they are reluctant to answer our inquiries for information because they still feel we were the culprits."

"Help where ever I can, I will be glad to." Yoda said.

"I will be making several assignments after the meeting." Ahanu said and turned to answer the holo-link's beep.

"Excuse him this is going to take a while." Ahava said as he interpreted his brother's conversation.

"Until the Assembly or you need me." Yoda said as he left.

**oOo**

The assembly of Jedi Master was called to order and Master Ahanu stood to speak.

"Jedi Knight and Masters as you have heard there is someone going around the galaxy claiming to be a Jedi picking up children to be trained at the Temple. Someone is taking these children and our reputation is being defamed. Recently a set of parents requested their child back and we had no such child in our care, they did not believe the Master of the Creche when she explained it was not us who had taken the child. They have contacted the authorities and are bringing a lawsuit against the Temple for kidnapping."

"Our reputation and the safety of the galaxy is at stake. These children are probably being trained by someone and probably not for and honorable purpose. As Galactic Peace-keepers we have a responsibility to see that Force sensitive children are trained properly or allowed to live in peace if their families chose not to have them trained. I am setting up a committee to investigate these kidnapping because that is what they are."

"I am drawing up legal papers that all Jedi are to carry with them and if they pick up a child they are to fill these out and give the parents a copy of them. There is also going to be a new process by which children are to be for lack of a better word 'qualified' to become candidates to be trained. Up until now the child was only being tested when they started to show signs of being Force sensitive and by then in some cultures the child has started to experience negative feed-back from people inexperienced in dealing with the Force. A new test is going to be administered earlier in the child's life. The time frame is going to be different on different planets most will be during the first months of life and a few have agreed to give the test at birth. We hope that by going through the local government and local medical professions that the chances of the child suffering ill effects from inexperienced or unscrupulous people will be limited."

"As you know recently some Padawans have fallen to the Darkside. Many were being trained by Masters that have successfully trained Padawans before, so we do not feel that it is the fault of the Masters. We hope by starting the training earlier the success rate will go up, and hopefully this problem can be eliminated all together. I am pleased to announce we are expanding the programs by which those not chosen as Padawans can work in non-policing fields. This we hope will remove some of the strain on the youngling to be chosen as Padawans."

"A campaign to inform parent about the benefits their child will receive by being train to be Jedi and how to recognize unscrupulous imitators will start tomorrow. We hope this will allow the child to be sent to the Temple at an earlier age avoiding negative emotions that would harm the child later in life. This will also ease the parent's minds that their child is being cared for properly. Please if you are picking up a child take the time to assure the parents the child will be informed that this was an act of love on their part. Often the parent loss has been forgotten to some extent and sending a child to the Temple is a loss to that parent. The Jinn-Moth-Kenobi's have given us a unique prospective on the parent-child bond. Some of you here are a result of that union and some have trained or worked with ones from that union. We learned from them parents suffer loss for years after sending a child to be trained but proper information help with that sense of loss. Where possible the child being allowed to return home for visits is an asset. We recently received another member of that clan a young Wan Kenobi, a talkative little fellow as Master of the Creche Alexa Jinn will testify."

There was a hardy laugh from all but especially those who had met him.

"I will adjourn for lunch now and those with assignments in the new programs will be informed of them and further training will be given to them. As always may the Force be with our work and these children." Master Ahanu said and stepped down from the podium.

"Master Yoda may I speak to you and Knight Maure Jinn. Have you two meet?" Master Ahanu asked when he noticed their reactions to each other.

"Met we have not. From family in question I assume? Humm?" Yoda asked.

"Yes, Master Yoda, I was hoping to get over to met you before you got assigned somewhere far-off." The young Knight said eager to met the legendary Master she had heard about all her life.

"Look like Queen Sachi, you do but His Highness Leith's eyes you have." Yoda said looking over the young Knight.

"So I have been told. May I ask who do you favor?" She said mischievously.

"Favor Grandfather Yaren, I've been told." Yoda answered her question with an all-knowing grin.

"Maure, you might as well give up many have tried and as far as I know no one has gotten anything out of him yet." Master Ahanu said laughing at her attempt.

"Nothing would a good Padawan hide from his Master." Yoda said.

"Master Moth knew and he never told anyone!" Maure said shocked.

"Master Ahanu assignment you have for us? Humm." Yoda said changing the subject.

Ahanu shook his head realizing that no more information were they going to get on this subject while Maure stomped her foot. "Meany!"

"Anger Management classes we should start. Knights throwing temper tantrums, the shame of it." Yoda teased.

"Well, I see the family feud hasn't changed, just skipped a few generations." Master Ahanu said shaking his head. "Now if you two can work together I have an assignment for the two of you."

"Me get to work with Master Yoda. Yes, we can work together can't we?" She turned to Master Yoda with a hopeful look on her face. _'Please!'_ She thought.

"Honored to work with Knight Jinn I would be." Yoda said deciding not to torture her by teasingly saying no. _'Time enough later to pick on her.'_

"I'm sure you both have heard of the account I spoke of during the speech of a child being picked up by someone claiming to be a Jedi and the parents requesting the child back and we do not have the child." He paused and waited for both to nod a confirmation. "I personally polled every member of the Order and no one from here picked up the child and no one was assigned anywhere near that planet. I want the two of you to go to Talan and interview the parents. They are not happy with our explanation but have agreed to work with us to get their child back. The parents and government on Oroso are another story they are not allowing the Jedi to come interview the parents at all. The government officials have given us this description of the assailant: A tall older man wearing black robes and boots brown hair with gray at the temples they said his lightsaber was dark silver with black and gold switches on it. Does this sound familiar to you Master Yoda?" Master Ahanu asked.

"Yes! The Master on Duken it sound like." Yoda confirmed.

"I suspected that. I have chosen you for this mission for that reason. I want Knight Jinn to accompany you. She has a way with parents and I think she will be an asset in dealing with the distraught parents." Master Ahanu explained. "I know dealing with a Sith with a new Knight and a new Padawan isn't going to be easy but I know the three of you will handle it well."

"If as good as her ancestors Knight Jinn is, problems we will not have." Yoda said reassuringly.

**oOo**

Maure quickly collected her belongings and met Yoda and Tanacca at the spaceport to leave on their mission. When Yoda looked surprised to see her so quickly she smiled and said. "They haven't assigned me my own ship, they are waiting on the new model, the 06, coming out next month, so I have been having to pack and go with other Knights or Master so I have become an expert in packing and going."

Bray: "I like your bag." Tanacca brayed.

"Thanks I picked it up on Tatooine, it holds everything." Maure said dropping the bag behind the passenger seat.

"Like to take us out of here, would you, Maure?" Yoda asked.

"Sure I'd love to." Then she saw the pilot's and copilot's seat, one set up for a Wookie and one set up for Yoda. She had to sit on the edge of the seat and stretch to reach the controls. "Wow! This reminds me of a story the Creche Master read to us when I was young."

**oOo**

AN: I couldn't stand being on page three and didn't want to get my knuckles rapped for gratuitous upping. So you get the next post early.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Maure stored her bag in the guest quarters and came out to see what was cooking. "Wow, I thought everyone was joking about your cooking." Maure said as she caught whiff of the toxic fumes coming out of the cookery.

"Put hair on your chest look at Tanacca." Yoda said with a mischievous grin.

"No insult to our Wookie friends but I'll keep my bare…Ahh … hairless chest, thank you." Maure said pulling the collar of her robe tighter. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a vacuum packed meal in a roll and started munching. "I stocked up just in case."

Tanacca went to the cooler and got out bottles of cooled water with vitamins and a fruit flavoring added and offered one to Maure. Bray: "Berry or Olanar root?"

"Berry, please." Maure answered.

Tanacca set out a berry and two Olanar root drinks and went to get bowels and silverware for her and Yoda. Yoda stood on the stool next to the stove, stirring the smelly mixture and scooped up some of the stew into a large bowel for Tanacca and a smaller bowel for him. He had conceded long ago to cooking at a stove for others convenience rather than his because otherwise they would have to sit on the floor to cook.

Yoda thanked the Force for the food and started to eat. "Been a Knight for long have you, Maure?' Yoda asked.

"A little over a year, Master Alexa has been trying to get me to take a Padawan but I have been reluctant because of the Dark Padawan problem." Maure said to the unasked question.

"Think it's the Masters fault the Padawans went Dark then, do you?" Yoda asked.

"No! No! I know several Masters that had Padawans go Dark including Master Ahanu and I'm sure they did nothing wrong." Maure said flustered.

"Then why do you feel you would be at fault if something went wrong with your Padawan?" Yoda counseled her.

"Ahh hum!" Maure sighed. "Yes, Master I see what you mean. I'll have another talk with Master Alexa and see whom she suggests." Maure sighed again. "Maybe when I get my own ship."

Yoda looked back at her, shook his head and sighed himself.

**oOo**

On arriving at Talan the threesome contacted the government officials and told them of their arrival. A young man named Thayne met them at the entrance to the spaceport and accompanied them to the home of the family in questions. The home was modest but comfortable, setting on a hill overlooking a small stream. It was in the style of the people of the planet, a cottage with wood beams sticking out from under the thatch roof. The colors inside and out matched the surrounding and with it tucked in the trees it seamed to disappear even from a short distance.

The family was human so the mother instinctively identified with Maure; the Wookie and the little green thing worried her. "Is there any word about my Jocna?" She asked in a quiet voice before introductions could be made.

"Not yet Mrs. Knanadin but we are not going to rest until your son is safe with you again. My name is Maure Jinn, this is Master Yoda, one of our most trusted Jedi Masters and his Padawan Tanacca. Could you tell us about the man that took your son, it would help immensely."

"I'm sorry to stare I'm not accustom to… ahh… other species. I am just a small community girl and I was so impressed that my son was being chosen to be a Jedi. I remember hearing of a boy being sent to the Temple, is it?" Maure nodded. "When I was a small girl and everyone was so impressed but when we told our relatives we had allowed our son to go they were shocked. Talan is such a close knit community. The Jedi… Oh! I mean the man claiming to be a Jedi was so tall and distinguished and spoke so refined I just…" She stopped and sobbed uncontrollably. Maure put her arms around her and held her and allowed her to cry it out.

"I should have known better." Came a gruff voice from the back of the room. "I should have smelt a thindar rat, he was to smooth, to polished, no one is that slick unless he's a liar. My name is Hinl Knanadin, it was my responsibility to say no and I failed him. Now he's out there being mistreated or who knows what."

"Practiced this man sounds, could fool anyone, he might. Describe him could you?" Yoda said reassuring the father.

"Tall man, human but different somehow, I just thought it was because of his Jedi training that I didn't seem to sense any emotion from him. Should have been a warning right there. He had dark hair with gray at the sides. He wore black and had a gray light thing with silver and gold buttons on it. He wore a cloak dark but not black more gray in it. For some reason I can't remember his name, I…" Hinl said straining to remember and not break down himself in front of the Jedi and Commissioner Thayne.

"He had ice blue eyes and a scar down his face that he tried to keep covered by his hair." The young Mother said pulling herself together to assist them.

Thayne said. "The space port manager said he walked with a slight limp when he thought no one was looking and he flew a Corellian star cruiser, dark gray with an emblem on the side, a dark blue triangle with a black bird over it. He said he had never seen that emblem before so it caught his attention."

"Humm! New emblem to me also but away I have been." Yoda said strangely wishing he hadn't been gone so long.

"Do you think you will be able to find him?" Iona asked quietly almost to scared to say the words out loud.

"Give up we will not, find him or keep looking, we will." Yoda said realizing to late that these were not the words she wanted to hear.

"We will find him I promise you Iona." Maure said softly to the grieving Mother.

_'Able to keep this promise, I hope she will be._' Yoda thought sadly.

The trip back to the spaceport was a long one, no one wanted to say the words everyone was thinking. Little hope did anyone hold out that the child would be seen again and if he was he would probably be so damaged by his time with the Sith that he would be unrecognizable.

The three Jedi promised the commissioner that steps were being taken to insure this never happened again. They knew that their promise could only be kept if people outside the Order followed the recommendations of the Jedi and contacted the Temple personally not relying on the person showing up at their door to prove he really was a Jedi.

**oOo**

Back on board the ship the three finally broke the silence and started correlating the information they had gathered. "Yes, the worst has been confirmed, kidnapper was the man at Duken. Stealing children, the Sith are. How long going on no one knows." Yoda said sadly.

"If the Knanadins hadn't asked for their son back it might have gone on for much longer. Thank the Force for that at least." Maure said trying to point out something good in the situation.

Bray: "That's why he started taking the children by force." Tanacca brayed.

"Yes, forced his hand before he was ready, unhappy he will be." Yoda said. "Report to Council I must unhappy they will be also."

**oOo**

Yoda called up the Council on the secure holo-link and Master Ahanu answered immediately as if he was waiting for the call. "Yes, was it him?"

"It was him. A description of the ship, we got this time, a Corellian star cruiser, dark gray with an emblem on the side, a dark blue triangle with a black bird on it. Scar on face, he hides in his hair. A limp when he walks he has, when he thinks no one is looking." Yoda said.

"This will help, Ahava is checking the secure registry for ships matching that description, hold on a minute. Yes, one matching that description is registered to a Hespero, first name is Inar also goes by Killum. Darth Killum a fitting name for a Sith."

"Any home planet listed, is there?" Yoda asked.

"Rutanic in the outer rim but I do not think that will be where he houses his school for Sith. It would be unlikely he would register his actual place of residence or the school." Ahanu said processing his brother's massage through their bond link and transferring the information to Yoda.

"Place to start, it is. There we will go." Yoda said thinking about his former Master and what he would say about him going on this mission with a new Padawan and an a new Knight, one of Nyla's descendants, no less.

**oOo**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Yoda pulled up the information on Rustanic on the computer bank and sat back and watched. A soft female voice narrated the vid shown.

Rustanic is a sparsely populated planet on the outer rim, orbiting around a red sun. It is marked by harsh conditions in most continents, with only a small band of livable area on the southern continent. It is a dangerous area of space marked by unexplained disappearances and spatial irregularities. Dark forces govern the area residents. Many indigenous peoples have been run out or killed. The planet is a wasteland devoid of laws or government.

Sounds like a dangerous place is that where we're headed next?" Maure asked interrupting Yoda's train of thought.

"Yes, not likely the place to find the children but where to start looking, it is."

"You look worried, I sense your concern about going into battle against a Sith with a new Knight and a new Padawan, two girls no less." Maure said with an all-knowing smile.

Yoda stopped fidgeting with the computer keyboard and turned and looked at her, he narrowed his eyes and examined her for a moment wondering. '_My mind, did she read or a lucky guess, was that?' _Finally he decided it was a lucky guess since even Master Lemuel Poof, a former Head of the Council, hadn't been able to read his mind so surely this girl, this 'human girl' couldn't possible have. Before he could answer she added.

"I have read some of your and Master Moth's mission reports and some of the stories handed down in the family. You were close to him and Nyla weren't you."

"Yes, have to remind my self sometimes not her, you are. Stand like her, you do." Yoda said with a sad heart.

"I have this for you." She said pulling a painting of the three of them out of a box she had tucked in the folds of her robe. "It was painted by her sister after you three came to help with a medical problem on Naboo."

Yoda smiled at how young everyone looked in the painting and how yellow green he looked to the artist. "Very protective of her, Master Moth was, more of a daughter than either would have preferred."

"I maybe a new Knight and Tanacca maybe a new Padawan but we are tough and well trained, we won't let you down." Maure said boldly.

Bray: "No! We won't." Tanacca brayed her agreement.

Yoda smiled and turned to the nav-computer and punched in the coordinates for Rustanic and they all watched as the stars turned into streaks as the ship burst into hyper-space.

**oOo**

Tanacca and Maure sparred as they waited out the trip to Rustanic, partially to make sure they could keep their promise to Yoda and partially to alleviate the nervousness of knowing they were going to battle against a Sith. Tanacca remembered the anger the apprentice had shown when he couldn't get Yoda to finish him off and it still made her sick to think of it.

Maure had been in the same class as Master Ahanu's fallen Padawan, she had seen first hand how someone could be turned to the Darkside and it made her blood run cold. Theirry had been a friend until the day he had turned on her and two other Padawans killing one and maiming the other. Theirry had saved her for last, wanting her to see what was coming. She escaped with relatively minor injuries because a Master had sensed the problem and come in at the last moment causing Theirry to flee and she never saw him again.

Yoda took his turn sparring with the two. He also wanted to get some practice in after a hundred years of living peacefully on Dagobah but didn't want to tell them that.

**oOo**

Killum sat rubbing his head trying to block out the noise from the brood he had collected over the years and wondered why the Sith didn't practice healing if only for selfish purposes. Both his women were in the last and most irritated stages of pregnancy so companionship was not an option, the children were brats to a Sith degree and the thugs and bullies that he had hired to mold the children were robbing him blind._ 'Things were so much easier when I just went around pick up Dark Padawans, then the Jedi would have to deal with all these growing up **headaches**. Why did I think that word?'_ He thought rubbing his head again.

One kid in particular loved to torment him, doing weird thing to aggravate him but refusing to do them from the Darkside. Riston had put canine fecal matter in his best boots and put poison linar vine juice on his under garments causing a serious itchy rash that he hadn't completely gotten over. The kid had painted his favorite equine with the juice from the local poisonous berries which had not only turned the equine purple but messed up his nervous system leaving him with an all over twitch.

Nothing had worked against this kid. He had instructed his bullies and hoodlums to be especially vicious to him but Riston had used his Force talents to stave off the attacks, causing the bullies to think they were little girls picking flowers when they were really picking the purple berries and poison linar vines. Killum had locked him in the cold damp basement until he had almost starved him to death and the kid just sat there singing a silly nonsense rhyme and sending it through the Force right into Killum's head. Killum had beat him unmercifully but the next day the kid showed up at the breakfast table with out a bruise one on him, smiling that _'Is that all you can throw at me smile.'_ that made Killum's blood boil and his head ache.

_'Why did I think of my head again.' _Killum thought again, then he heard a smug voice from behind him say. "I can heal that for you." Killum turned and Force slammed the child against the wall and shouted. "**Get out of here and I don't ever want to see your face again!"**

"Ahh! I'm happy to leave." Riston said cheerfully and got up and limped toward the gate of the compound.

The gatekeeper looked to Killum for instructions as the kid approached. "Let him go." Killum shouted and winced as the pain in his head stabbed him again._ 'He won't survive out there for long and if he does he will be stronger for it and I won't have to deal with him.' _ Killum went back inside and closed himself in a cool dark closet. It was the only place his head would stop hurting even for a little while.

The next morning he woke up in the closet stiff from the position he had slept in but his head wasn't hurting anymore. He realized it had been the kid that had caused his headaches but he was glad to be rid of both. _'He won't last long out there between the wild animals, the lack of water and no shelter from the sweltering sun._' Killum thought.

**oOo**

They exited hyper-space and entered the Rustanic system, heading for the small band of livable space on the southern continent and set down at the local spaceport. There was no call from a command center or instructions about where to land. It was almost as if the spaceport was abandoned but there were readings of people in and around the spaceport. Yoda picked a spot on the edge of the landing field and landed, the three took a deep breath and headed for the ramp.

This was not like any spaceport any of them had landed at before. There were ships in various stages of repair and disrepair all around the hangers opening up on the field. Several men in various stages of intoxication were standing, sitting and passed out around the hangers. Broken bottles of a multitude of beverages were strewn around the hangers and landing pads. A couple of dead bodies could be seen and smelt from the hanger doors.

Yoda saw a door that looked like it might lead to a tavern or café and headed to it. A large scantily clad, six armed woman greeted them and pointed to a table and shouted. "Sit there, drinks for everyone. Huh! Clean glasses cost extra. Name your poison."

Yoda bounced up on a tall stool and tossed her a fifty-credit coin and said. "No drinks, just information."

"Hum! Won't get much information for republic credits out here." She snickered.

"How about this then?" Maure asked tossing her a gold ring she had hidden in a pocket of her robe.

The woman caught it with one hand and looked it over, then smiled. "Don't get much Coruscant jewelry out here. Yep! I'll talk for this but make it quick the walls have ears."

"We are looking for a man with a lot of children." Maure said to Yoda surprise.

"Most men around here have a lot of children, although most don't know who they are." She chuckled.

"This man would be bringing his home and not his alone." Maure said boldly.

"Ahh! Hespero at least that is what he used to go by. Now it something with kill in it, Killum I think." She said lowering her voice. "Hadn't been here lately, moved over in wild space. We got to civilized for him, I heard." She snickered. "Some hidden base on a desert planet Farnan no Firmin. That's all I know, now go while you can. You've attracted some unwanted attention and you girls wouldn't like the company." She said as the door opened and several large, smelly, mean men swaggered in.

Yoda stepped between them and the 'girls' which caused an uproar among the group. "Who are you little man and what do you thing you are doing, coming into our place and with a couple of girls and acting all big and Jedi on us?" The largest and most scarred one asked.

"Yoda, big I'm not, Jedi Master, I am. Go back out and hurt you will not be." Yoda warned them.

The group roared with laughter. At that one threw a bottle at Maure and pulled a knife, the other three more pulled out blasters and started shooting. Three lightsabers burred on and blaster bolts started bouncing all over the room. The lady at the bar continued with her work and didn't even look in the direction of the commotion. The one with the knife tried to circle around and get behind them but Yoda continued to bat the blaster bolts in his direction until he gave up and charged Maure thinking she would be the weaker of the three.

Maure cut the end out of his blade and twirled and tapped him on the backside with her lightsaber causing an uncomfortable burn tattoo across his seat. "That's called a hot seat where I come from." She said as he bounced and fanned his rear. "Gentlemen, we enjoyed the party but it's time to go." Maure said as she bowed and started out the door with Yoda and Tanacca following batting the last few bolts and Force closing the door behind them and holding it closed.

Several men noticed the Jedi coming out of the lounge with lightsabers ignited and started running to join the fight. _'At last something to do._' They thought. Maure Force opened the ramp and ran in to start the engines while Yoda and Tanacca warded off the thugs. Yoda and Tanacca bounced in the ship and closed the ramp as Maure lifted off. Once they were back in the black of space Yoda walked into the cockpit and said. "A hot seat!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Riston limped down the rugged path of a road used only for equine and a few wagons for the local people to deliver their toll to the Master of the Section. He had heard and been warned that the surrounding area was unlivable. The land that stretched out before him proved this was true. This was the only true thing he had been told while in the care of the Sith Lord. Sith was a word he had not heard before his arrival at the compound. Those at the compound only used it in whispers as if scared to say it to loudly.

He had walked for what felt like hours before he had to stop and rest. He had gradually healed his injuries as he walked, that and the heat had sapped his energy. He saw a large jagged cactus plant beside the wagon trail and stretched out in the shadow if it. Several mean looking creatures came out to investigate who was intruding on their space and see if he was edible. Riston didn't open his eyes but waved his hand and brushed them away with the Force. Even these scary creatures couldn't disturb his relief at being out of Killum's control.

He had become a very crafty sneak in his efforts to survive the life Killum had chosen for him. Every conversation within earshot and some that weren't had been listened to and searched for information that would help him survive if the opportunity to escape ever came. He had never even hoped that Killum would let him go, much less send him away. Now he lay there in the shade thinking of all those conversations and searching for anything to help him survive his new life.

About six months back an old man had brought a wagon of goods as a toll for the Master and he said the previous deliveryman had died on the way back. His equine had been bitten by one of the creatures that scurried out of the shade of the cactus and the driver had been forced to walk back to the next village and died of exposure along to way. The old man was saying how stupid of people to move to an area and not learn how to survive in it. He had showed the worker unloading the wagon a bucket with a chunk of cactus in it and said it was mostly water and would keep you alive but it tasted like the inside of an old boot smelled.

Riston opened his eyes and looked around and saw a cactus like the chunk in the bucket. It was about thirty feet from the cactus he was laying under. It had spines about six inches long that looked like darts. These things jumped out of the plant at you if you got to close the man had said. They could cause great injury to a grown man much less a boy of seven. Riston sat up and Force brushed the creatures away again. Thirty feet from life giving water and he couldn't get to it.

He tried to use the Force to break off a piece but it was too strong for him. He sighed and sat back down in the shade. The creatures got brave again and he brushed them back again and sat staring at the source of life. _'Why didn't the old man say how to get to the meat of the plant.'_ He wondered. '_Probably need special tools._' He picked up a rock and threw it at the cactus breaking off some of the spines. He picked up another rock and thought. _'This is the only tool I have_.' So he threw it at a spot near where the other rock hit more spines broke off. He smiled this was going to take a while but he had nothing but time.

An hour later he had thrown rocks until his arm hurt and he had exhausted himself using the Force but he plant was bare of spines. Now how was he going to break off a piece of it? He wasn't sure if it was safe to touch it but he had to try the sun was quickly drying him out.

Back at the compound no one went out in the mid-day sun and he was trapped out in it. He pulled and pushed with his hands and with the Force but it wouldn't budge. He remembered Killum's face and him bragging no one escaped him. Riston fumed and kicked the plant, as he had wanted to kick Killum so many times. A large chunk of the plant broke off and he grabbed it and ate. _'Wow! That'll cross your eyes!'_ He though at the taste of it. "I name you Killum's revenge." Riston said to the cactus. "And I am going to live if I have to eat everyone one of you."

When he had finished the smelly treat, he placed the rind on his head. The remaining pulp leaked juices in his hair and ran down his neck then down his back. He wasn't sure if he would be able to stand the smell at first but soon noticed the creatures didn't like the smell either so they left him alone so he was able to rest with out them coming out after him every few minutes.

Riston woke up during the night with a stomachache that he was sure was punishment from Killum. His groaned like a wounded animal and felt as if his insides were being torn out. He concentrated on the pain and soon eased the worst of it.

Lesson one: Killum's revenge seeks revenge. Always eat small amounts.

The next morning he woke and kicked off another piece and ate some of the pulp and rubbed the rest over his body to cool and clean himself. _'Ahh! Help will smell me coming.' _He thought.

He had looked around the day before for shelter and could see some mountains to the West but they were several days away by foot. If he went to the village sooner or later Killum would come looking for him there and he didn't want to ever go back to him even if he had to die to be free.

_'Alone in the mountains it is.'_ He thought. He kicked off another chunk of fruit to carry with him for later and placed the newest rind on his head and started off toward a point he picked out in the mountain range. It appeared to be slightly greener than the rest.

When he stopped to rest during the heat of the day he collected dried leaves off some of the plants. He had noticed the old man had woven them into a shade for his wagon. As he waited for the temperature to drop he collected and wove until he had a mat about three feet square. He propped it in the fork of his cactus and increased his shade and cooled area.

He sat there in his shade, eating the pulp and realized he was happy for the first time since he had left with Killum. He remembered the family that had sent him to live with Killum and wondered why they had sent him away. _'Killum had said …no… Killum never told the truth so what he said couldn't be trusted. The kind Moder and Faver he forced himself to remember would not have sent him to live the life he had lived but why had they sent him away.'_ He thought.

As he thought he drifted into a peaceful sleep still tired from his travels and his night if pain. He dreamed of the peaceful little village and the sweet lady that had rocked him to sleep singing the nonsense song he had tortured Killum with. He dreamed of the soft kisses she had placed on his cheek and the way she brushed his hair off his face and lowered him into his bed. He had always felt safe with her and knew she did not know what Killum would do to him. He heard her say a soft good night as she closed the door. "Sweet dreams, Jocna."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Maure was still trying to get over Yoda's shock of her giving the thug a Hot Seat, her first fight alongside the Master she had looked up to and waited do long to see and she had disappointed him. She had made an excuse and gone to her quarters, now she had to come out if she was ever to face him again. She could smell something coming from the cookery and it smelled downright appetizing but it wasn't a Wookie or a Yoda recipe. It was something that had come through the family from the Kenobi's, pancakes and maple syrup. Maure allowed her nose to lead her out into the cookery. Yoda was standing on his stool flipping the pancakes as she had seen Master Alexa do on many occasions.

"I thought you disliked pancakes." Maure said as she picked up a plate and waited for the first pancake to be served, feeling even more like a small child.

"Not disappointed in you just surprised I was." Yoda said as he placed the pancake on Maure's plate and starting the second one. Maure buttered and poured maple syrup on the pancake and cut off a chunk closed her eyes and savored the flavor as the maple filled her mouth with comfort. A big blissful smile crossed her face and she heard herself ummm. As she opened her eyes she realized Yoda and Tanacca were staring at her.

Bray: "Do you need to be alone for a minute with your poncake?" Tanacca said not quite saying the word correctly even for a Wookie.

"I'm sorry, it's just so good. What were you saying?" Maure said blushing.

"Not disappointed in you just surprised, I was. Not done in my day. Better than maiming him though, so a good thing, it was." Yoda said placing the second pancake on Maure's plate and quickly cleaning up the mess, trying to get rid of the smell that he still couldn't stand. As soon as Maure's plate was clean he took it and washed it, then gasped for air, as the last of the offending odor was gone. "Good fighter, you are. Glad to have you with me, depend on injuring your opponents, you did not. Mark of a good heart that is."

"Thank you and thank you for the pancakes I know how hard it was for you to make them since it isn't your favorite smell." Maure said.

Yoda smiled and changed the subject. "Reported to Council, I have and reinforcements are to meet us at Firmin. Wait for them we have been ordered. So jumped to meeting coordinates we have, now we wait." Yoda said.

"If we wait we might miss them. I'm sure someone will call ahead and tell him that we were there asking about him and the waitress talked to us." Maure said concerned that Killum might get away.

"Suggesting are you, that disobey orders we should." Yoda said shocked.

"I…I…" Maure started, then Yoda interrupted.

"Agree, I do." Then he dropped off the chair and headed for the cockpit to send a message and punch in the new coordinates in the nav-computer.

"I think he likes seeing me squirm." Maure said to Tanacca.

Bray: "Yes, he does." Tanacca brayed back and smiled.

**oOo**

The ship jumped out of hyperspace just outside the solar system and entered at sub-light speed. They headed to the only habitable area of the planet. There was a huge plume of smoke coming from a large compound so they set down in the desert close by and walked cautiously up to it. There were bodies of thugs strung over the compound but no children and no Darth Killum. He had taken what he wanted and destroyed the rest and anyone who could supply the Jedi with information about him. A few of the kitchen staff and the stable boy had escaped, mostly because he didn't have time to hunt them down and they had no information to give on him.

The rest of the Jedi arrived shortly after Yoda and helped with the search of the compound but Killum had been thorough in his efforts to cover his tracks. The survivors were questioned but knew nothing and were scared stiff at the thought they might know something and would be hunted down for helping the Jedi. The survivors were taken to a nearby village where they could start a new life, a less dangerous life.

One by one the Jedi left as they finished their assignments and saw nothing else could be done here but something was wrong and Yoda couldn't figure out what it was. He walked through the charred ruins again and again trying to figure out what he was missing and couldn't see anything. Then he saw a door he hadn't noticed before and opened it with the Force. Inside he saw a blanket thrown on the floor and could sense a boy sitting on it singing the image was almost too sad to bare. He backed out and closed the door but the sound of the boy singing still echoed in his head.

"Nothing left here, leave we must." Yoda said sadly.

They headed back to the ship and set coordinates on the nav-computer and started to leave.

Yoda flew around the area before heading out into space. He flew to the village where the survivors had been taken to make sure they were safe. Everything seemed normal just a few people around the only other water supply in the area. He flew a big circle around the other side of the compound and was almost back to the village when Maure cleared her throat.

Yoda sighed. "Just don't want to leave, don't know why." Then he heard the song from the dark room only it was louder and happier. _'All around the mollberry bush the mynock chased the wampa.' _

Yoda turned to Maure and started to say something when she said. "Yes, I hear it too."

Yoda followed the sound to a mountain range nearby and set down in a clearing barely large enough for the ship. They walked down a faint path and found a cave. Inside they found a small boy floating on his back in a pool of water, singing at the top of his lungs. As he circled around he saw he wasn't alone and came to his feet in a big swush. There he stood in thigh deep water naked as the day he was born.

"Hey! I've seen you before, I dreamed about you." He said running over to Yoda oblivious to the fact that he was naked.

Maure took off her robe and wrapped it around the child. "What is your name?"

He was more interested in seeing Yoda than this girl but her robe smelled like flowers not the same flowers as his Moder but nice. "Killum called me by a name I won't use, ever again but my Moder called me Jocna." He said pulling the soft robe around him feeling warm and safe for the first time he could remember since Killum took him.

"To your home, would you like to go?" Yoda asked.

"To my Moder and Faver?" Jocna asked. "Yes, but they sent me to live with Killum so they might not want me back." Jocna said sadly.

"Thought they were sending you to the Jedi Temple to learn how to use your Force talents, they did. Lied to them and stole you from them, Killum did. They want you back very much. Came here just to get you and take you home to them, we did." Yoda assured the boy.

"Yes, I want to go home then." The boy nodded excitedly.

"Get your things together and we'll go." Maure said.

"Killum gave me nothing I want to take with me." Jocna said and started skipping toward the entrance of the cave singing his song louder and happier than ever.

**oOo**

Maure started cooking for Jocna while Yoda called and told the Council they had found him. He sat in Tanacca's seat swinging his legs and licking his lips as the smells filled the ship. Unfortunate for Yoda the only thing she could cook was a pancake so for the second time in as many days he got to smell the food that kept him green. Jocna ate six pancakes and three bottles of the berry flavored water finally Maure insisted he wait until that was digested before he ate anything else for fear he would burst.

"Need to sleep, do you?" Yoda asked.

"I'm not tired do I have to?" Jocna asked.

"No. Feel like answering some questions, do you?" Yoda asked.

"Yes, what ya want to know?" Jocna said glad to have someone to talk to.

"How many children does Killum have?" Yoda asked.

"Les see, he has Londam, he's a Rodian, he was older than me and was there when I got there. Then me, then San'ku, he is a Twi'lek, he came just after me. Then there's Malu, she was from Mon something but she didn't like the dry so he took her someplace else. Then there's Veli, he's from some Tatoo place. Then Rikki had Pakan and Thanak came and she and Rikki were swelling again when I left. That's all I know about." Jocna said happy to be able to help.

Maure smiled at his descriptions and style of speech then asked. "Did he ever say anything about any other places?"

"No! He didn't trust anyone and no one want to know anything about him if you did you were in danger so being dumb was safer."

"How did you get out there all alone?" Maure asked.

"I figured out what made him mad and pick back at him." Jocna said proud of himself.

"Picked on him, you did?" Yoda asked.

"Yep! He wanted us to get mad and use the Dark energy but I don't like the dark energy it gives me a headache so I only used the Light energy. He would be mean to us or get mean men to pick on us and I would just smile and make them do nice things like pick flowers."

Jocna bubbled.

"You used mind-tricks on them?" Maure asked surprised because of his age.

"Yah! Killum would get so mad he turned red, then he had to get some more mean men." Jocna said squishing up his nose.

"Why were you out there though?" Maure asked.

"He locked me in a room and I sang my song and made it ring in his head and it caused him to hurt so he let me out. I still made his head hurt so he wouldn't bother us. Ya know the happier I was the madder he got so I was as happy as I could be. He made me hit the wall and told me to leave, so I did. He thought I would be dead because no one could live outside of the compound but I heard an old man say how to live. Ya eat this stinky cactus, I called it Killum's revenge cause it stunk and made your tummy hurt if you ate to much and I did."

Maure and Yoda sat and marveled at the tale they were hearing. This kid had out Forced a Sith Lord and lived to tell the tale and accomplished it with the Light. He talked for another hour of his experiences before he wound down and started yawning. "I think I need to …" He said and laid his head on the table and fell asleep. Maure picked him up and carried him to her room it was the only one set up for guests._ 'I'll sleep in the cockpit or make a pallet on the floor.' _She thought.

Maure found Yoda in the cockpit after making sure Jocna was settled and said. "You know as strong as he is he really needs to be trained."

"Yes! Trained he needs to be but willing to allow his parents are not likely." Yoda said.

**oOo**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Yoda decided it would be better to surprise the Knanadin's than to call ahead and have them walking the floors waiting for Jocna. As the arrived at Talan he called down and asked for Commissioner Thayne to meet them at the spaceport.

"Master Yoda, I wasn't expecting to see you so soon. I…" He said then saw the young boy come out wearing one of Maure's robes cut down to fit him.

"Hello!" Jocna said boldly. "I've come to see my parents. My name is Jocna."

"Yes, I know I'm glad to meet you. How did you find him so quickly." Thayne asked Yoda.

"Got away from Killum, he did. Was left behind when Killum fled. Now to parents we would like to take him." Yoda explained.

"Yes, by all means let's go." Thayne said and led the way.

They all marveled as the boy bounced ahead of the group, singing and skipping along the trails. Taking paths without being told which way his parents lived. He rounded the last turn and stopped dead in his tracks as he saw the house and the lady out front working in the flowers. He could smell the flowers she had always smelled like. He took a deep breath and just stood watching her for a minute.

"Jocna, don't you want to go say, Hello?" Maure asked.

"Yes, I just wanted to remember a little longer more before I go over." He said smiling.

Just then Iona looked up and saw the Wookie, then Maure, then Jocna. "Hinl!" She shouted.

Hinl came running out of the house with a large stick expecting to find something attacking his wife. When he saw what she was looking at he dropped his stick and ran after her. They ran up to Jocna dropped to their knees and hugged him. They showered him with kisses and he soaked up all the love he had missed for so long. This time Hinl wasn't worried about the Jedi and the commissioner seeing him cry, these were tears of joy and he was not ashamed to be seen doing such an unmanly thing.

Finally, he pulled himself away and asked. "How did you find him, I thought the chances were slim?" Hinl asked hugging everyone even picking up Yoda and hugging him under protest.

Yoda rearranged his robes when Hinl set him down, sighed and said. "Saved himself, he did we just found him and brought him back."

Hinl almost giddily said. "Saved himself?"

"Ahh! It was nothing I just sang Moder's song to him and gave him a headache and he let me go." Jocna said carefully leaving out all the bad reactions Killum had to him. Both parents were glad for that kindness.

Iona knew that as hostess she should invite the Jedi in and serve them something for their assistance to her family but she could hardly bare to turn loose of him, to stand and walk to the house would be torture.

Maure realizing why she was torn smiled and said. "I know this is a very emotional time for you. Just enjoy your time with your son, we understand."

Finally, Iona and Hinl turned loose of the child they had waited so long to see again and escorted the Jedi to their home. Everyone laughed as Jocna explored the house looking for thing he remembered and bringing things to them and saying, "This is the bear I went to sleep with but I took it out of my bag and forgot it when it was time to go." "This is the canine we had, his name is Pete." He wooled Pete and threw a ball for him. "Hey that is the room I slept in and this is the chair you rocked me to sleep in and sang me the song about the minock and the wampa."

Iona said, "You must stay for dinner it's the least we can do for what you have given us back." She rushed into the cookery without waiting for an answer and started setting the table. Maure went in and started assisting her but Tanacca could tell having a Wookie in her cookery was more than Iona was prepared to deal with at this time so she stayed in the company room with the men.

Soon the table was covered with dishes, glasses, silverware a pot of stew and several loaves if bread. Iona pulled a high stool up to the table for Yoda and sat Tanacca between him and Maure since she was still leery of the Wookie. Hinl thanked the Force for the return of their son and everyone started passing bowels and bread around. Yoda was thankful that it was a stew more to his liking than most people's cooking. Jocna gobbled down three bowels of the stew and finished his desert. Maure was helping with the dishes while Iona paced back and forward looking at her son between drying bowels. Iona squealed. "I can hardly believe we have our son back, he's really here for good."

"Moder, I… I can't stay here. You would't be safe if I stayed here. Killum'll come lookin' for me someday and if I'm here, he'll hurt you and Faver. I have ta go with Yoda. I've dreamed about goin' to the Temple all my life." Jocna said. "I need ta go learn about how ta use the Force not like Killum wanted but like the Jedi so for good."

Iona pulled her apron up over her face and started crying. Jocna slid off his chair and ran over to her and hugged her. She dropped the apron, pulled him up into her lap and sat rocking him and crying softly. Jocna said. "It's OK Moder the baby in your tummy will be here soon and she is not strong in the Force. She will be with you and you won't be sad any more."

Hinl's head snapped at the mention of the baby. "Iona are you really…?"

"I don't know I've been so worried about Jocna I haven't thought about … Yes! I'm a… Yes! I could be." Iona stammered, having to discuss such personal thing in front of guest.

"Yep! You are." Jocna said boldly. "Her name is Yara after Yoda's mother." Jocna announced to Yoda's surprise.

"Yara, that's a lovely name." Iona said.

"Master Yoda could we keep Jocna here overnight and you take him in the morning?" Hinl asked.

"Yes. Happy to return and pick him up tomorrow, we will be. Now allow you to visit, we will." Yoda said and the Jedi excusing themselves and left.

**oOo**

The next morning Yoda and Maure arrived to pick up Jocna and found a much more relieved family. The visit had relieved their minds and hearts about their son situation and this time it was his decision to go. Maure brought the papers for the parents to sign and they did so willingly not under an air of deception as before. Jocna hugged and kissed his parents goodbye and told them he would be back to see them again. He waved as he bounced along holding Maure's hand singing the song he loved. "All around the mollberry bush the minock chased the wampa."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Master Ahanu was concerned when Yoda called to say they were bringing Jocna to the Temple to be trained after the problems they had experienced with his parents before.

"Decided to send him on their own, they did." Yoda said. "Convinced them they were not safe from Killum if he stayed, Jocna did."

"Ahh… Speaking of Killum there are rumors of an outpost on Kamino. It is a water planet in the outer rim that may be where he took the child from Mon Calmari that you spoke of in your report. As soon as you drop off Jocna I want you to head there." The Head of the Council ordered Yoda.

"Problem that will be, trouble with my ship, I am having." Yoda said punching in new orders in the Nav-computer.

"No! Maure's ship has arrived and is ready for its trial run. I'll have it supplied with your favorite foods and readied to travel." Ahanu said.

"Padawan, she promised to choose when ship arrived." Yoda said.

"I'll tell Master Alexa Jinn to expect her. Ahanu out."

"Thank you for announcing that to the Head of the Council." Maure said sarcastically to Yoda as she entered the cockpit.

"Unable to back out now, you are." Yoda said all knowingly. "Suggestion may I make? A male Padawan you might consider."

"Ahh! To much female company, are you experiencing." Maure mimicked the small Master.

**oOo**

They arrived at the spaceport on Coruscant and landed where instructed. There in front of them was a copper colored ship looking like a seashell with its rolled front and scooping into a point in the back. They walked over to it and were greeted by a droid with a humanoid appearing torso with wheeled telescopic tripod legs for greater stability. Its soft female voice greeted them as it escorted them in the ship.

"Sam, I am. Ship's Assistant in charge of Maintenance Droid. I am in charge of caring for you as well as ship's maintenance and security. I can assist you with remembering important dates and events. I keep an updated record of local customs so no unfortunate missteps in protocol happen to upset your missions."

Yoda grinned at that.

Sam continued unaware of the significance that statement had to Yoda. "The cockpit is this way and the living quarters are down this hall there are six modular sleeping quarters that can be configured for their occupants."

"Your profiles and preferences have been downloaded into my memory banks. I have stocked the ship and configured the new modular living quarters to the requirements of a human, a Wookie and a …a… Yoda. As soon as Knight Jinn chooses a Padawan, quarters will be configured for him or her. (A strangely embarrassed voice) There seems to be a gap in my programming. A species name and home planet have not been listed for Master Yoda, as well as a last name. Would you please supply that information so I may rectify that oversight?"

"None are known." Yoda said emphatically.

"You do not **know** your name, your species and where you are from?" Sam said confused at his response.

"Know, I do. Tell, I do not." Yoda said even more emphatically.

"I…" Sam started.

"Sam assume the records are complete and proceed accordingly." Maure said.

"Complying." Sam said and continued. "I can care for the cooking or allow you to cook if you care to. Laundry and cleaning are also among my functions but some Masters, I have been told, choose to assign Padawans those duties as learning lessons. I will comply with either."

"The ship is equipped with the latest hyperdrive and sub-light drives, weapons and nav-computers as well as the most up to date star charts. If you have any other requirements not in your profile please make them known so I may serve you."

"Sam, would you assist Tanacca in moving our things over from Master Yoda's ship so we may leave as soon as Master Yoda and I finish out assignment on Coruscant. Our probable takeoff will be first light Coruscant time."

"Jocna, we have an appointment with the Master of the Creche." Maure said taking his hand. "Master Yoda will you accompany us?"

"Yes, accompany me, Jocna will, while Padawan, you choose." Yoda gently reminded Maure of her promise.

"Yes, Master." Maure said sounding like a youngling sent on an unpleasant assignment.

**oOo**

Master Alexa Jinn, Master of the Creche met Knight Maure Jinn to make her suggestions as to an appropriate Padawan for her. The two were distant cousins and well acquainted with each other.

"I have two possible Padawans for you to choose from. I have arranged for them to have a sparring match together so you may see them both in action." Alexa said as she led Maure down the halls to the appropriate training room. The-on is a twi'lek she is twelve and very promising, a good strategist and well prepared to handle the rigors of Jedi life. Lanel is from Alderaan, he is very diplomatic, very well trained in lightsabers in all of the forms for his age."

Maure entered and watched the two sparing, watched their graceful moves, their young bodies moving to counter their opponent's. She reached out with the Force to see who would be the best choice but could not get a feel for either of them._ 'I know I'm blocking them subconsciously so I won't have to make a choice.'_ Maure thought to herself. She tried again. Nothing! Master Alexa was giving her the -Your not trying look. _'I am trying!'_ She thought. '_I just don't feel anything the Force has forsaken me!'_

Just then there was a crash and all the training equipment fell to the floor sending training sabers and various other equipment rolling across the room, almost tripping the two sparring partners as they dodged and jumped the training sabers that had somehow ignited on impact. "**_Egidio_**!" Alexa shouted. "Please don't kill my best students on your last day, just six more hours and you will be in the AgriCorps. I have pity on the plants."

Egidio looked so sad as he picked up the equipment he had spilled. He was tall and gangly, longer arms and legs than anyone Maure had ever seen before. Maure wanted to walk over and hug him and tell him it would be all right. Alexa caught her by the arm and drug her out into the hall. "I know what you are thinking but you do **not** want to do this. Especially not for your first attempt at training a Padawan. He is so clumsy; he has kept the infirmary busy since he started training. I would have sent him to the AgriCorps already but they don't want him either. He was assigned to assist the Master of the Arboretum and almost killed the whole garden. The Healers are scared to see him coming. He smashed two bacta tanks spilling bacta over the entire infirmary and almost killing the patients in them. The ExplorCorps won't even take my calls for fear I will send him to them and kill off their exploration teams. If I knew where there was a Sith Lord I would send Egidio to him. Then the Sith would be done away with for sure." Alexa ranted.

"But the Force says..." Maure said thinking of the pathetic young boy.

"The Force is lying, don't listen to it!" Alexa screamed then thought of what she said. "I mean," she said and sighed, "you must be confusing sympathy for the will of the Force. This is not going to work. You don't want to be out in space with this boy, it's not safe." Alexa shook her head as she realized Maure had made up her mind. "I do not want to loose my first Knight to a to an unfortunate Padawan accident."

"I will be all right, don't worry." Maure said reassuringly.

"Do you know how much paperwork I will have to fill out if he gets you killed or blows up a planet somewhere?" Alexa said.

"I will sign a waiver saying I chose him against your recommendations." Maure said consoling the Master of the Creche.

"Yes, you will in triplicate and you will personally take a copy to the Head of the Council along with my written warning that you are in mortal danger." Alexa announced sternly. Only after Maure signed everything in triplicate and personally delivered them to the Head of the Jedi Council, would Alexa call Egidio to her office.

Egidio opened the door with to much force and it swung back and hit a planter well out of the normal range of the door and broke the glass out of the door. "I'm sorry! I'll…"

"Never mind Egidio, I'll have the maintenance staff clean it up and repair it. I have something else to deal with now." Alexa said breathing deeply thinking just a few more minutes and he will be gone.

"I know, the AgriCorps doesn't want me. The Healers don't want me and the ExplorCorps sure doesn't want me." Egidio said sadly with his head bowed.

"I want you!" Maure said boldly. "I have chosen you for my Padawan, over The-on and Lanel, over anyone!" Maure said proudly. "I am Knight Maure Jinn. I know you will become a brave and true Knight."

There was a tie as to who was the most shocked by Maure's statement Alexa or Egidio.

**oOo**

**An: My muse is back he or she took a short vacation. To bad she didn't take me with her.  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Egidio walked around in a fog as they made preparations for him to become a Padawan. The fitting of his new Padawan robes took a while partially because he did not fit the usual sizes, six foot six inches and skinny as a rail, and partially because the seamstress kept getting stuck with the pins as she marked the robes for alterations. Finally, she leaned over to Maure and asked. "Are you sure about this boy?"

"Surer than I have ever been about anything." Maure declared.

While they were waiting for the seamstress they took him to the barber for his customary hair cut. The barber required two stitches where he cut his finger for the first time in his long career. "Are you…"

"Yes, I am sure." Maure interrupted.

Finally, he was dressed, armed with his lightsaber and ready to leave. Maure looked him over and said. "There is one more thing we need to do before we leave. If my Corellian is correct Egidio means young goat you need a more appropriate name for a Padawan." Egidio brightened up at the thought of no longer being teased about that name. "How about…Skyler that sounds like a brave name for a Padawan. What is your last name, Skyler?"

"I don't have one I was aban… I am an orphan." Skyler said with a hint of his old sadness.

"How about Walker because you have the longest legs I have ever seen on a human." Maure said looking him over.

Skyler's face lit up as he heard the name and he repeated it to himself several times. "Skyler Walker, Skyler Walker, Skyler Walker, Padawan Skyler Walker." Each time he said it he beamed a little brighter.

"Padawan Skyler Walker, Padawan to Knight Maure Jinn." Maure said proudly.

Skyler puffed up with pride turned and tripped over his feet, unaccustomed to his new boots.

Alexa burst into tears, hugged Maure and after a long and sad goodbye then turned and ran to her quarters sobbing loudly as she went.

Maure put her hand in the crook of Skyler's arm and walked out as if he were escorting her into a magnificent ball.

As they arrived at the ship Sam met them at the ramp and announced that Skyler Walker's updated profile had be received and his accommodations had been prepared alone with his food preferences and the extra load of medical supplies.

As they prepared to leave he turned to Maure and said earnestly. "I appreciate you choosing me and I will try my best not to kill anyone on our team." Then he turned and stepped on Yoda, causing him to limp for a week.

**oOo**

Tanacca set course for Kamino and sat back and watched as the stars streaked as they entered hyper-space. Skyler stood in the entrance of the cockpit to see it too. He had always wanted to see this but had never been allowed in the cockpit before. He had been the only student to crash the flight simulator, literally. Tanacca brayed: "I just love to watch…"

She heard a familiar noise and felt a warm smelly liquid run down her shoulder into her lap. Bray: "&$$#&#$!" Tanacca ran out of the cockpit and into her quarters, spending the next few hours washing the goo and smell out of her fur and drying it.

Maure didn't know whom to feel sorriest for Yoda, Tanacca or Skyler. "Skyler go to your quarters and rest, you have had a busy day and you look positively green. I'll see to Yoda and Tanacca. Sam will clean up the mess."

"If you want to take me back now, I will understand." He said quietly and turned another shade of green.

"No, we are in this together." Maure said as she popped Yoda's hip back in place. She looked at Yoda as Skyler's door closed. "I know, but I have a good feeling about this boy."

"Describe my feeling as good, I would not." Yoda said painfully. Maure had to carry him to his quarters, much to his embarrassment. "Dignified, this is not!"

**oOo**

Later that night Maure sat alone in her room meditating. _'I hope you know what you are doing,_' She said to the Force. _'Because no one else seems to.'_

**oOo**

Fortunately, the trip to Kamino took a while allowing Yoda to recuperate, somewhat. Maure and Skyler practiced with the training sabers that Master Alexa Jinn had insisted they bring along to work with. The burn cream the healers sent helped immensely on the training saber burns and Maure was assured by the holo-med-tech her hair would grow back. Tanacca kept her distance just in case he erupted again and Yoda stepped lively when he came near. They spent most of one day reloading Sam's memory after Skyler crashed into her. (The engineers are still trying to figure out how he did that one.)

**oOo**

On arriving at Kamino the group made contact with the landing tower and received instructions on where to land. "This is to easy." Maure said.

"Need easy, we will." Yoda said looking over at Skyler.

"I don't mind if you want to leave me on the ship. I mean I know I…" Skyler said softly.

"No, you are going with us. Who knows you might trip over the Sith." Maure said reassuring him. Yoda looked like he was the one that needed reassuring.

A very tall graceful lady with large eyes and a soft voice greeted them at the entrance of the space station. "Good day Jedi. You have been expected, Master Killum will see you in the conference room."

Yoda straightened and forced himself not to limp. He looked at Maure as they followed the Lady down a long hall, through a set of large metal doors and into a large white plastisteel paneled room with a huge rectangle conference table. At the head of the table was the older man that he and Yobocca had seen in the camp on Duken. The man that ducked out in the face of a battle and left his apprentice to deal with the Jedi alone.

"You are getting an annoying habit of interfering with my business. I want it stopped! There is enough space out here for all of us. This is my base. You leave me alone and I will leave you alone." Killum said almost civilly.

"Jedi our name, is. Stop calling yourself by it and we will." Yoda said boldly. "Also children collected in name of Jedi, turned over to us, we want."

"You are a little small to be making such demands." Killum fumed.

"Size and power, the same, they are not." Yoda said walking closer to convey the fact that he was not concerned of Killum's height advantage. He was more concerned that Skyler followed him. _'Not training saber, he has.'_

"Leave now or you will be dealt with harshly." Killum hissed.

"Turn over the children or turn Skyler loose on you, I will." Yoda said narrowing his eyes and speaking as forcefully as he could.

Killum looked up at Skyler who was several inches taller than he was. "He's just a child."

"Deadliest Jedi in temple, he is. Put renowned Jedi Master in bed for a week, he did. None want to spar with him, for fear of their lives." Yoda said earnestly.

Killum could sense the truthfulness of Yoda's words and from a certain point of view they were. "I have recently decided to get out of the training of younger disciples. It's much more time effective to wait and pick up your failures. So you may relieve me of their burden. I have better things to do with my time than wipe noses. Alanasa. " He called.

The graceful lady almost floated into the room. "Yes, Master Killum."

"Have you finished preparing the children for transport?" Killum barked.

"Yes, Master Killum. They are awaiting your orders."

"Show them and the Jedi out." He said and dismissed them all and sat down in his seat as if they all didn't exist.

"This way Master Jedi." Alanasa said softly and led them to another room and a rowdy group of brats.

**oOo**


	12. Chapter 12

**ChapterTwelve**

Maure lagged back to speak to Alanasa while Yoda, Tanacca and Skyler escorted the group of children to the ship. "I have a question if you are allowed to answer it. Why did Master Killum release the children to us?"

Alanasa smiled sweetly. "There is no place for the children to go out and play since it rains all the time. He wanted to raise Sith children but wasn't prepared to deal with the repercussions of their upbringing. He has been suffering from headaches. He said he will give his headaches to the Jedi."

Maure remembered the room the children had been in and thought. _'My brand new ship they will destroy it.'_

**oOo**

Tanacca and Skyler ushered the children into the Sparring room while Yoda instructed Sam on the new security measures for the ship. "Access to secured areas or control panels, allowed they are not. No weapons medicines or poisons either, can they have."

Maure ran up the ramp to get in out of the rain. "bruu uur… That's a cold rain. Did we get them all back? I don't want to have to come back. I don't think he will be as 'hospitable' next time."

Yoda looked over the group and remembered Jocna's list. Londam, he's a Rodian. San'ku, he is a Twi'lek. Malu, she was from Mon something. Veli, he's from some Tatoo place. Rikki had Pakan. "Here, the Rodian is. Here the Twi'lek, is. Here, the Mon Calimarian. Pakan over there is Killum's son by Rikki."

"He sent his own son away." Maure said shocked.

"A Sith, he is. More is there to say?" Yoda said realistically.

"Yeah but I would have thought even a Sith would have **some** sense of family." Maure said shocked. Just them a knock at the side of the ship caused them to jump. Maure opened the ramp and both stood ready with their hands on their lightsabers.

Alanasa bent and entered the ship carrying two noisy bundles and a bag. "Master Killum sent these also." She said as she handed Maure the two bundles.

Maure had to use the Force to pull back the cover and saw two tiny crying infants, one only a few days old. "What is he thinking? These are his children." Maure couldn't resist saying.

"The women left yesterday and he said he no longer wants to continue this project." Alanasa said quite candidly. "Here is a supply of diapers and milk. I am afraid it will not be enough but it was all we have. Have a safe trip Master Jedi." Then she bent low and left the ship as quietly and gracefully as she came.

Yoda went to the cockpit and lifted off and headed back to Coruscant with his new cargo.

Maure backed up and sat down in the copilot's seat still shocked beyond belief. "I helped in the creche, a lot but I have never dealt with babies this small." Maure said and looked over to Yoda for help and support.

"Easy it is." Yoda said taking one of the babies that was almost as big as him. "Feed them, and bath them, change their dirty diapers and sing to them." He started singing a song in a language she had never heard before. The infants quieted and fell asleep.

The hair on the back of Maure's neck stood up as she realized she was probably hearing Yoda's own language, tears filled her eyes at the beauty of it and the privilege of hearing it. He finished his song and looked up and saw her reaction. "Yes, beautiful it is."

"Why did you do that, I thought no one had heard you speak your home language?" Maure asked still in awe.

"A few have those I trust to keep my secret. Forget sometimes Nyla, you are not." Yoda said handing the baby back to Maure. "Hear a disaster, I do. Must go rescue Tanacca and Skyler." Yoda hurried down the hall to find the two Padawans being stuffed in a closet by several Force strong Sith brats. Yoda waved his hand and said gently. "Turn them loose, you will and go take a nap."

The brats repeated not quite convinced of the statement. "Turn them loose, we will, but we don't want to take a nap."

Yoda waved his hand again and said more forcefully. "Turn them loose and go take a nap, you **will**."

Tanacca and Skyler extracted themselves from the closet. Embarrassed to have been ganged up on by the kids and ushered the kids to the guest quarter that Sam had been busy reorganizing. They all piled into the freshly made beds shoes and all and fell asleep. Skyler closed the door behind him and sighed in relief, them locked the door.

Tanacca brayed: "Do you think that will hold those force sensitive brats?"

"No but maybe it will detain them for a while. Oh! You have that gum they were chewing in your fur." Skyler said not realizing what that would mean to a female Wookie. Tanacca screamed and ran to her room to try to get it out.

Maure got the babies down in the nursery Sam set up in one of the guestrooms and went to assist Tanacca. Maure knocked and said. "I have ice, I hear it helps."

Tanacca opened the door almost in tears. Bray: "I have been barfed on, tripped over twice by Skyler, I have three pieces of that gum stuff in my fur and it's my time of year."

Maure motioned her to a seat and said reassuringly. "I think we can get this out without cutting your fur." Tanacca gasped, she apparently hadn't thought of that possibility. "Don't worry we'll get it out! I envy you only once a year." Maure said then thought of some of the possible problems of a female Wookie and decided maybe she was better off with her own problems.

Yoda knocked on the door and offered some oil, between the ice and oil they finally got the gum out and Tanacca called it a night.

As they left Tanacca's room Yoda said. "Reported to the Council and Master Ahanu, I did. Concerned with the children being brought to the Temple with the training they experienced under the Sith, he is. Taking them to another location we are, where he has not decided yet. Go to a junction in the space routes and wait for instructions when a location had been picked, we are."

"I hope it is a quick decision. I'm afraid we may not survive a long voyage with these children." Maure said concerned with their situation.

"Perhaps reason behind Killum letting them go, that was." Yoda said and turned and tripped over Skyler who was sleeping in the hall with his back to one door and his feet on another.

Maure said calmly. "Skyler, why are you sleeping in the hall?" As she picked up Yoda and put him back on the table and popped his hip back in.

"I'm sorry Master Yoda! Tanacca said the locks wouldn't hold Force sensitive kids so I figured I had better sleep in the hall to keep them in their rooms."

"Problem it is not. Fix it, Maure can." Yoda said flinching in pain.

"Do you want me to carry you to your room, Master Yoda?" Skyler asked apologetically.

"NO! Carry me, Maure can. To your post at the doors you may return." Yoda said.

Skyler said softly as he started back down the hall. "I think he's scared I'll drop him. He's right probably I would."

Maure sighed. "Poor guy." Yoda gave her a mean look. She smiled. "Poor guys."

She carried Yoda to his room and he started a healing trance as she left. She turned to her room exhausted then heard the babies start screaming at the top of their lungs. She took a deep breath and went in and spent the rest of the night diapering, feeding, burping and bathing, first one then the other. _'Help!'_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Yoda woke up from his healing trance with the feeling something was out of place. As he opened his eyes he saw the small Mon Calamari girl sitting in front of him she was wearing one of Maure's robes and eating one of his best bulbs that he saved for special occasions. He thought for a minute he was back on Dagobah in the lake with the fish. "Why do ya do dat?" She asked.

"Healing trance, it is. Helps when inured, you are." Yoda said taking the uneaten piece of bulb out of her hand and popping it in his mouth.

"Tha sick and weak are s'post ta die so thay don't drain tha strowg." She said with no feeling at all.

"Sith way, that is. Jedi way, strong help weak grow stronger." Yoda said calmly.

"Dudn't that make you weaker?" She asked still no feeling in her voice.

"Light gets stronger when shared." Yoda said and smiled a faint smile.

"Riston used tha light and he died." She said void of compassion.

"Riston, Jocna as called by his family, at the Temple, he is, learning to use the light." Yoda said hoping to get some reaction.

"OOHHH! There anythin' ta eat here 'sides roots?" She said blankly.

"Yes, come with me, get breakfast, we will." Yoda said cheerfully.

As he walked out of his room he heard a faint sound and realized Skyler was locked in the closet in the hall. He waved his hand and opened the door to fine an embarrassed Padawan. "I fell asleep and they…"

"Worry about it, do not. Find them you must. One I have found, in my room." Yoda said handing Skyler her hand.

"Ya dun't look like thay feed ya well here." She said.

"They feed well I'm just growing." Skyler said uncomfortable with this interaction with a child.

She looked at his feet and slowly moved up to his head. "How big ya goin' ta get?" She said with her expressionless voice.

"I don't know I'll tell you when I stop growing." Skyler said slightly irritated.

"Better be soon or ya gona need a bigger ship."

"What's your name?" Skyler asked.

"Malu."

"Well Malu sit down at the table and I'll see where Sam is. She can prepare you some breakfast." Skyler said looking down the hall for the droid that usually met them at their quarter's door.

"Are ya lookin' for tha robot?" Malu asked calmly.

"Yes, do you know where she is?" Skyler asked puzzled.

"Yeh. Lodam, San'ku and Pakan locked it up in there." Malu said pointing to the door leading to the engine compartment.

"You didn't help?" Skyler asked but got no response. He opened the door and pulled Sam out she had been disconnected and parts of her arm were missing as well as the cover for her memory banks.

Bray: "What did you do to Sam?" Tanacca asked an irritated Skyler.

"I didn't do anything to her I found her this way. The br… children slipped out. You might help Yoda find them." He warned her.

Yoda came out of the nursery and saw Sam and turned pale green. "The ship!" He limped past Tanacca and Skyler at a fast trot. "Out of here, now!" He ordered, uncharacteristically sharp and started punching new orders into the ship, it dropped out of hyperspace and a planet appeared in the view window in front of them. He sighed then realized he had Maure's gooey sandwich spread all in the seat he was sitting in._ 'Looks like baby doo, it does.'_

Tanacca corralled the three children and ushered them to the table and started breakfast for them. "We're not hungry can we go play?" They asked in unison.

"No!" Skyler said sternly. "Where are the parts to the droid?"

"I gave um ta San'ku." Lodam said innocently.

"No! I didn't touch um. Ya gave um ta Pakan." San'ku said under protest.

"I dun't h've um. Ya put tem in thare." Pakan said pointing to a small drawer Yoda used for his prized bulbs.

Skyler opened it to find the parts and the jar of legumes spread oozing out on Yoda's bulbs. Yoda came out of the cockpit just as Skyler pulled the jar out of the drawer. "It wasn't me!" He stammered. Yoda limped past them going to his quarters to change his robe. "Out of the cockpit, keep them." He called over his shoulder.

Maure slipped out of the nursery and eased the door closed behind her. "Has Yoda been into my legume butter?" She asked as she got to the cookery.

Tanacca and Skyler looked at each other. "Yes but he wasn't eating it." Skyler announced. When he saw Maure's puzzled expression he added. "Don't ask?

Yoda came out of his room wearing a fresh robe. "Younglings, follow me." He led them to the sparring room but on seeing the mess they had created he moved on to the meditation room they hadn't bothered with it, nothing exciting in there. "In here, sit on the floor and close eyes."

"We dun't wan to go ta sleep." They whined.

"Not sleep, meditate." Yoda informed them.

"Killum never made us medicate." They whined.

"Killum, I'm not, now close eyes." Yoda instructed. "Feel the Force calm you."

Then he heard. "ZZZZZZ" He opened his eyes and saw four sleeping children. _'Unintended, that was, but works for me it does.' _ He eased out and offered to assist Skyler in repairing the droid.

"Thanks but this is the one thing I can do, just most people are scared to let me near their equipment." Skyler said sadly.

"Fix that problem, I can." Yoda said and sat back on the chair and started cleaning the goo off his bulbs.

Maure stuck her head out of the cockpit and asked "Why are we half a parsec off course and why is there legume butter all over the cockpit? Never mind! The council is calling you on the holo link, Master Yoda."

Maure got a soapy towel and started cleaning the control panel while Yoda received their instructions.

Master Ahanu said. "I have arranged for a former Jedi and his wife to take charge of the children, another Jedi will assist them until the children can be 'civilized'. Former Master Laird and his wife Hanna are being set up in a large house on Corellia. Master Reyd will be arriving shortly after you do. Laird stepped down after being injured on Hoth rescuing Hanna. They are a strong kind couple and are excited about this family. If the children are salvageable they will be brought to the Temple if not Laird and Hanna have agreed to raise them. How long will it take you to get to Corellia?"

Maure interrupted to say they were going to have to stop somewhere for milk, they would be out long before they got to Corellia.

"With the milk stop probably in two weeks, we will arrive." Yoda informed the Head of the Council. Maure made a groaning sound and caused Yoda to glance over at her. "Soon enough, it will not be."

"I understand we got a message from the children earlier saying, you had locked them in their rooms and were starving them to death. I was almost surprised to receive an answer from you just now. Sam model droids are programmed to prevent unauthorized use of the holo link is she malfunctioning." Master Ahanu asked.

"Problem not with programming, problem with Sith children." Yoda said.

"I understand just be careful." Master Ahanu said concerned for his friends.

Yoda cut the link and turned to Maure. "Set course for a planet to acquire milk for your charges then to Corellia, let us get before we are driven to the Darkside by them."

Maure pulled up a local star chart and searched for a possible place to acquire milk and punched the coordinates into the nav-computer and watched as the ship streaked into hyperspace. They both sighed and Yoda said, "Check on villains, I must."

**oOo**

They received permission to land in a meadow outside the spaceport and allowed the children to run and play for a couple of hours. Maure went to a nearby farm and purchased enough milk to feed the babies for the rest of the trip. Skyler and Tanacca watched the older children and Yoda took care of the babies. Sam had been repaired and an alarm had been programmed to sound if the children got within ten feet of her also an electrical charge to shock them if they touched her. She was thoroughly embarrassed when she realized she had been sabotaged by four children. It only took six zaps to convince them to leave her alone.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: This is a rewrite and addition of chapter 14. That my new Master BrentusofGath has so eloquently beta-ed. Thank you!**

**Chapter Fourteen**

Corellia was a largely water planet with lush forest and rolling hills. Except for the capital, most of the area was covered in small farming communities. On arriving at Corellia's main spaceport, they called for directions to the Solander Farm and were redirected to a rural area well away from other communities.

Laird and Hanna eagerly met them in the meadow near a large yellow farmhouse in a compound of barns and grain storage buildings. Workers were in nearby fields harvesting grain and others were moving cattle from one meadow to another. This was a peaceful setting anyone would want to live in and the Solanders looked like perfect parents.

Laird walked with a cane from a bad left leg from his last mission and it was evident from his movements that his leg wasn't the only injure injury he sustained. It was apparent to everyone who saw them together that Hanna still saw the dashing Jedi that rushed in to save her and whom she kept alive until help arrived once he was injured, instead of the near cripple who accompanied her now.

Master Ahanu promised to find busy work for him in the Temple but he always was an outdoors kind of Jedi, happier on missions than with paperwork. He chose to resign and marry the young lady that saved his life.

When the news of the children being released by the Sith came to the Council, the Solanders were the first ones they thought of to take care of the children. The farm community was a beautiful place to settle them and a good place for them to see the positive side of life and the Force.

As soon as the ramp dropped, the wild animals swarmed out of the ship before anyone could warn him. They knocked Laird's cane out form from under him, sending him falling to the ground. All the Jedi instinctively caught him with the Force so his landing was almost buoyant. Then he floated back upright and his cane came back to him, creating an unusual 'reverse the film' effect.

Hanna met Maure and Tanacca, who were carrying the infants and just "aaahhed" at the sight of them. "This is the girl and Tanacca has the boy," Maure told her as she scooped the infant into her arms. "We weren't given names for them so we thought you might want to pick them out."

"Oh! Yes! I would love to! She's Kaethe, it means 'pure' in my home language, and he's…" She took him in the other arm and looked knowingly at the boy. "He's Hanson, after my father.

"I didn't get a lot of time to prepare a nursery but I have the basics. Would you like to come in and see it?" She asked Maure and Tanacca.

Bray: "Yes! I would!" Tanacca brayed a little too excitedly when she saw the children were headed to the lake at the edge of the meadow and remembered trying to get the children back on board the ship after the milk stop. It took two standard hours to get the pond water smell out of her fur because she was forced to dive in and drag them out.

As she started in the house, she turned and saw Skyler waist deep in the water, holding a three-standard-year-old choking Pakan by the collar. Yoda spied Lodam the Rodian headed for Skyler's lightsaber and floated it out of the pile of robes and boots just in time. Malu was well pleased to be in water again. The swim earlier was all too brief, and on Kamino she was not allowed to swim for fear of the current; they also knew they would not be able to get her back if she didn't want to come back.

Laird and Yoda never met until this assignment, but he was familiar with stories of the littlest smallest Jedi from the old mission reports and the stories around the Temple. He knew Master Ahanu was formerly his Padawan so that automatically impressed him.

"Help, you will be needing, until Master Reyd arrives," Yoda advised him. "Chances, do not be taking with them. Crafty, they are. Raised by Sith, they were. Very dangerous," Yoda warned.

"Yes! I have heard of some of the things they did from Master Ahanu. Disassembling your droid, calling the Temple to report you for torturing them and ordering fifty deep dish pizzas with extra anchovies to be delivered to the Temple on Master Ahanu personal credit slip." Laird noticed the surprised look on Yoda's face at the last offense. "Yes! The anchovies give Master Ahanu the hives. He was in the infirmary most of the night."

_'Hope on a mission Ahava was not, since he too would have been afflicted, so close they are,'_ Yoda thought.

They both turned and watched the kids dog-pile on Skyler and hold him under the water. Yoda waved his hand and said. "Let Skyler up, you will."

Skyler swished to the surface and gasped for breath. "Thanks, Mas- _choke_... ter- _cough_ Yoda." He soon decided it was safer to stand on the bank and Force float the children to the surface occasionally for air when necessary than to try to be in the water with them.

**oOo**

Master Reyd and his Padawan, Selwyn arrived the next day and were a welcome addition to the overseers. Master Yoda met them at the Spaceport and accompanied them to the farm. "Glad to see you, we are. More hands are needed to assist with retraining of the children."

Master Reyd bent down on one knee to greet the diminutive Master. "I am honored to meet the Master to my Master. This is my Padawan, Selwyn. She is from Mon Calamari. I understand one of the children is also from Mon Calamari."

"Yes, a girl named Malu. Not necessary to bend down, accustomed to talking to knees, I am." Yoda said dryly.

Reyd smiled and stood; this was the Master he heard so much about. Master Ahanu warned him not to bend down, but it seemed the appropriate thing to do. "What do you think about splitting the children up and working with them one on one?"

"Humm. Excellent idea. Take Malu, Selwyn should." Yoda said.

"Do you mind if I take the Rodian, I have some experience with them. I was stranded on Rodia for two months when my ship broke down. Interesting people, they are." Reyd said and realized he was mimicking Yoda. "Sorry, it's catching."

"Been told that, I have." Yoda said sternly then let a faint smile escape. "Need for food, we will not have, once perfected his hunting skills are. Lodam, he is. San'ku the Twi'lek, I will take. Pakan, that leaves for Laird; arrange for Skyler to assist him, I will." Yoda said, then worried about pairing Laird with Skyler and the Sith child.

On arriving back at the compound, Reyd and Yoda discussed the new arrangement with Laird who was in agreement. "Skyler, bring Pakan over to here," he called.

Skyler walked over, holding the dripping child out at arm's length so as not to get wet, again.

All the children followed to see what the new Jedi were going to do to Pakan. Something really painful, they hoped.

"Good, all of you came, so we can deal with all of you together," Laird said, to their disappointment. "We have decided to give each of you one on one attention, so Pakan and Skyler are with me."

"Idn't that two on one?" Malu asked dryly.

"Yes, Malu but that is the exception; you are to go with Selwyn. He is going to take you to the coast for a swimming excursion. Lodam, you are to go with Master Reyd; he has a hunting trip planned for you. San'ku, you are to go with Master Yoda; he has a camping trip planned." Laird paired them up with their instructor.

"I don't wanna go wif him, he keeps on wavin' his han' and makin' us go ta sleep." San'ku protested.

"Oh! That's a good idea, we'll remember that!" Laird announced, looking at the other Jedi.

"Shh! Now look w'at ya did!" Lodam and Malu fussed.

Selwyn took Malu's hand and led her to the ship and their big adventure; while Reyd took Lodam to the forest he picked out from the air. Laird chose to introduce Pakan to the equine that he was so fascinated with. Laird told Yoda of some caves nearby for them to explore with plenty of fungus to feast on. Each instructor collected food and supplies and headed out into a whole new world for the children.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN:** I have recently been told my Wookie speak is confusing. Since I am not as proficient as Han at working into the conversation the explanation of her speech. I have chosen to acknowledge the Bray: then translate for those of us who do not speak Wookie. I would like to thank my Master BrentusofGath for beta-ing this for me.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Selwyn and Malu arrived at the coast in a few minutes and much to Malu's joy they went straight to the water. They left their outer clothes on the beach and dove in. Selwyn kept her close by, as she became accustomed to the changes in salt and water pressure of the coastal waters.

Malu blossomed as she swam among the fish and sea creatures for the first time in her short life; she felt free and as if she belonged. The sea creatures came up to her and greeted her as one of them. The colors and variety fascinated her as she went from one to another tickling their fins and scratching their bellies. Occasionally, Selwyn would have to drag her to the surface for air and to decompress, as she didn't want to leave her newest friends.

"Did you see tha little b'ue fish dat came up and nibbled my nose? He was so cute and he b'ought his friends back and thay jus' swished all aroun' me and..." Malu bubbled with excitement.

"Malu, catch you breath; you are turning blue," Selwyn warned.

Malu took a deep breath and sighed, then started slower. "I name' him Nibbles cause he nibbled at my nose."

"Yes, Nibbles is a good name for a fish and his friends were very happy to meet you. I am impressed at your swimming abilities for someone your age. I was told you are five; is that correct?"

"No! I'm five and a half, silly. I'm way over five," she said, disgusted by his lack of appreciation of the difference. "Can we go back down now?"

"Yes, there is a coral field nearby and there is a completely different set of marine life over there. Do you want to see them?" Selwyn asked, allowing her to have a choice in the decisions they made.

"Yes! Yes! I wan' ta see everythang!" Malu exclaimed and ducked back under the water to wait for him.

**oOo**

Reyd took Lodam the Rodian by the hand and led him past the meadow into the forest to hunt. He showed him the differences in footprints left by different animals and allowed him to track them to see what kind of animal made them. Soon he began to associate smells and animal sounds with the footprints and was scampering through the woods like an Alderranian squirrel.

Reyd followed a few paces behind him and allowed him to hunt at his own pace. He didn't allow him to kill the animal for food, so he would not associate tracking with killing.

"Wow! I ca'chted one!" Lodam exclaimed as he held up a small furry animal, then took a deep breath to memorize the scent for future references. Reyd showed him the nest and type of shells and berries around the nest to give him a better idea of what to look for next time.

While some chose not to eat meat, Reyd was not one of them. He eventually showed Lodam how to kill and prepare the animals for food, although he was careful to instruct Lodam about the value of the life-force each animal possessed.

"There are many different lives in the galaxy and all should be respected. We should never kill just to be killing. The animal has a life and a family; this is why some choose to only eat plants."

That night they built a fire, cooked and ate their bounty for the day. Then Lodam laid back and looked at the stars and absorbed the sounds and smells of the forest.

"I want ta stay out 'ere f'rever." Then he dropped off to sleep, completely exhausted from his day of excitement.

Reyd smiled and said, "Me too."

He covered the boy with a thermo blanket, tucked his lightsaber safely in his robe and joined him in sleep.

**oOo**

Laird showed Skyler and Pakan the equines, picking out a small gentle one to introduce him to. "This is Nuzzler. Come over here and you will see why."

Pakan walked over to the shy animal. When she realized he wasn't going to chase her as the other children did earlier, she eased up to him and nuzzled his neck, causing him to giggle.

"Dat tickles!" He squirmed uncomfortably at first to the furry touch, then gently rubbed the creature's nose as he warmed to the friendly equine.

Laird held out a piece of fruit and showed him how to hold it for her to eat; she nibbled on it and made a contented sound.

"I like 'er! Can I wide 'er?" Pakan asked.

"Not today, but you can get the brush and brush her; she really like that." He motioned for Skyler to move a wooden box over for him to stand on.

Skyler picked the boy up and set him on the box and Laird instructed him how to make the long, smooth, downward strokes in the equine's fur. He told him where to find the oats and how feed her. They cleaned out her stall and put fresh hay in it.

"Shuuu!" Pakan held his nose at the smell of the equine's excrement. "Lodam threw dat at us and it don't smell good at all."

"No, it doesn't, but if you leave it out behind the barn for a few months, then spread it out in the field it makes the plants grow big and strong," Laird said to his surprise.

"An' shtinky. I woul'n't wan' dat jab," Pakan said.

"That is one of the few good things about having a bad leg. I don't have to spread the stinky stuff in the field."

"Am I goin' ta 'ave ta sp'ead dat?" Pakan crinkled his nose in protest.

"No. Thompkin has that job, his nose is always stopped up so he can't smell it," Laird explained.

"Gud!"

**oOo**

Yoda and San'ku walked to the caves south of the forest. "Twi'leks, your people are. Live in caves and eat fungus, they do. So to the caves we are going."

"OOOW! Dat soun's ikky. Do I 'ave ta. I ate a bug once w'en Lodam dared me ta. It wasn't bad, 'cept for ta feet." San'ku rattled on and on. "Why da thay wive in cabes?"

"Hot it is, so in caves they live," Yoda explained.

"It twas hot w'ere we was, b'fore goin' to ta wa'er place. I didn' mind but Malu, she didn' like it. She got sick an Kil'm tookted her ta tha wa'er place." San'ku kept going.

"At the caves, we have arrived," Yoda said, glad to be able to interrupt. "Follow me."

He walked into the mouth of the cave, and the cool damp air was both refreshing and yet musty at the came same time. There was the sound of water rushing deep inside. San'ku finally quieted down long enough to listen, and quickly became interested in the sounds.

"See the fungus, do you," Yoda asked.

"W'at is 'fun-gas'?" he asked as he sniffed the air, intrigued by the smells.

"Ahh... grows on trees in caves, on machines and in cool, dark places, it does," Yoda answered.

"Is it a manimal?" San'ku asked.

"No."

"Is it a pwant?"

"No."

"W'at is it then?"

"A fungi."

"I fought we wadn' spo'st ta eat people."

"Not that kind of guy," Yoda said, starting to get a headache. _Maybe taken the Rodian, I should have. _"Listen, the water do you hear?"

"Yep, I hears ta wa'er? Are we goin' swimin'?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Too cold it is, under ground. Do you see the lizard?"

"Ooh! Can we eat it?"

"No."

"Da ya know how to says anytin' sides no?"

"Yes. Look up at the roof," he said to distract him.

"Oohh w'at makes those lights?"

_This is going to be a long day,_ Yoda thought.

**oOo**


	16. Chapter 16

**AN:** I would like to thank **BrentusofGath** for beta-ing this. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You and everyone that reads it.

**Chapter Sixteen**

_'Aaah, so confusing this child is, I can not talk straight,_' Yoda sighed, then closed his eyes and calmed himself.

"Are you goin' ta sweep?" San'ku asked as he reached over and opened Yoda's eye.

"No! Meditating, I am."

"Why ya wike ta medicate?"

"Calms me, it does." Yoda replied in a calm voice.

"Why ya wan' ta be calm?"

"The ways of a Jedi, calm they are, so hear the will of the Force, you can."

"Whaf it say?"

"Don't kill the kid!" 

"Dat's funny!" San'ku said and rolled as he laughed.

Bray: "Good advise!"

"Thought helping with the infants, you were." Yoda said relieved at the sight of another Jedi.

Bray: "I was barfed on once too often. My fur is starting to fall out from the repeated washing, so I abandoned them."

Bray: "Don't look at me like that, there are four of them and only two infants!"

"Four?" Yoda asked.

Bray: "Maure, Hanna and two wet nurses."

"Why s'e talk wike dat?"

"Because a Wookie, she is."

"Oh! Can we play hide-an-seek?"

"Unfamiliar with that, I am." Yoda said, puzzled.

Bray: "It is a game where the kids hide and the adults go look for them, we played it at the temple."

"All right, go hide and come look for you, I will." Yoda said and closed his eyes and meditated.

"S'e has ta play too."

Bray: "Ok, let's go."

A few minutes later, Yoda opened his eyes and started looking around the caves. There were several openings branching back into the mountain and many small pockets off each branch so there were many possibilities. He could feel the child's life Force down one of the branches but took another one that circled around and came in behind him. He could feel the child's joy that he took the wrong branch.

"San'ku, where are you?" he called, then heard the child snickering quietly.

**oOo**

Hanna fluttered around the house getting things ready for the older children to return from their adventures. She popped in to oversee the nursery every chance she got. She was so infatuated with the smell of baby soap and the cooing of the little bundles.

Maure could only shake her head at Hanna's zeal for her new life. Personally, she was glad her parents allowed her to have the life she was living. She always appreciated their sacrifice of both seeing her grow up and the future grandchildren she would have given them.

"Where is Tanacca?" Hanna asked Maure when she noticed her missing.

"She had one too many bouts of barfing for her liking so she went to help Yoda." Maure said softly so she wouldn't wake up the baby she was rocking.

"Yes, I imagine that fur would be a negative around infants, although the six breasts could be useful." Hanna said matter-of-factly.

"Thank you, but I think two are more than enough." Maure frowned at the thought of the undergarment she would have to wear.

"I know this isn't the life you want, so if you want to go too, I can take Han." Hanna said, reaching for the baby before Maure could answer.

"I could use some fresh air."

"Laird and Skyler are working with Pakan out in the barn. Although, I don't know how fresh the air will be out there." Both women laughed at the thought of 'barn fresh air'.

**oOo**

Yoda slipped up behind San'ku and grabbed him. "Got you, I have."

San'ku squealed with delight at being caught and ran back to where they previously set up camp. "He got me, he got me!" he squealed as he ran and almost crashed into Tanacca.

Bray: "Look what I found; mushrooms and other fungus."

"Can I 'ave sume, it looks good." San'ku eyed the selection of goodies, his mouth watering.

Tanacca held the basket down for him to pick out something.

"Dat one." He grabbed one and gobbled it down. "Yumm! Can I 'ave anot'er?" He didn't wait for an answer but instead picked out two more and munched on them. "Yumm!"

Yoda was glad to see the light in San'ku's eyes, 'this was progress', he thought.

**oOo**

Maure walked out to the barn and watched as Skyler and Pakan brushed the equine's mane. She wondered who was having more fun- the kids or the equine.

"I see everyone out here is having fun."

Skyler turned and looked at her and gave her one of his rare, crooked smiles. "This is Nuzzler, she loves having her mane brushed."

"I see that. And how is Pakan liking this?" she asked.

"I wove Nuzzler, she's so sweet. Look! She will eat out of my hand and I'm gonna p'tect her and not let the ot'er kids be mean ta her," Pakan said in one breath, then gasped for air.

"Wow, this is amazing!" she said, looking at Laird. "I have never seen either one of them smile like this."

Skyler smiled then blushed, when he realized he was included in that statement.

"Yes, I think we had a good day," Laird said and smiled himself.

**oOo**


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: **Sorry about the delay I had a family problem to deal with and a stressed out muse. I think both are better now. Thank you for reading. Thanks to BrentusofGath for beta-ing, repeatedly.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Yoda watched his small, enthusiastic charge wander around the cool, dark pocket of the caves looking for new and varied life forms and heard him squeal with delight when he found one.

"Here's anot'er 'izard! This on's red!" San'ku shouted with glee.

"Good, observant you are; now watch and see where he goes," Yoda instructed in his grandfatherly voice.

"In there!" San'ku said, pointing to a jagged crack in the amber crystal studded wall.

"Good. Now, close your eyes and allow the Force to guide you to feel, alone is he?" Yoda asked.

San'ku closed his eyes tightly and strained to feel. "No, there's anot'er one, a fami'wy. Da 'ave babies. Can I hold on'?" Sanku bounced with joy as he asked.

"No. Injure them, you could, and sad, mother lizard would be." Yoda said and carefully watched to see the child's reaction. "Wouldn't want her to be sad, would you?"

"No!" San'ku said sadly, thinking of the mother's feelings of anguish at the loss of her offspring.

_'Good, caring for others he is; progress we are making.'_ Yoda thought of their accomplishment.

**oOo**

Later that week, the Padawan Selwyn and Malu flew back from the coast. The two Mon Calamarians spent most of their adventure underwater, chasing aquatic life and exploring underwater caves. As they arrived at the vast collection of green sheds, barns and the large white house with a wrap-around porch of the farming compound, they saw the masters watching their arrival from the meadow between the grain field and the house.

Skyler was walking the small brown equine with Pakan on her back; his golden hair blowing in the warm autumn wind. He could see Yoda, Tanacca and San'ku and climbing the split rail fence that separated the mountain woods from the golden field of ripen grain blowing in the breeze.

As the masters arrived back at the farming compound, they waited nervously as they reunited the children to see their progress. The four eased up to each other, concerned about the former personalities of their companions; wondering what the others would do.

Finally, Malu couldn't contain her excitement any longer and burst into her story, telling them about the trip and the aquatic life she discovered. "I saw ye'ow and orange fish and coral dat looked like f'owers. I saw crabbies and..."

"I gotts ta twack aminals and sweep under tha stars and..." Lodam interrupted, not wanting to be out done by a girl.

"I got ta track aminals too. And I got ta eat mushrooms. Da was dewisious," San'ku bubbled.

"I got to brush tha equine and wide 'er and feed 'er..." Pakan couldn't stand to be left out.

"Well, it looks like our divide and conquer was a success," Reyd whispered to the other masters.

"A long way to go, to undo the influence of a Sith, I am afraid we still have," Yoda added, concerned that everyone was moving too fast.

"Yes, these children had a hard life from what I have learned from Malu," Padawan Selwyn agreed respectfully to the masters. "Killum actually hired thugs to be mean to them, to increase their anger."

"Agrees with what Jocna said, that does." Yoda nodded in support of his statement as he watch the chidren trying to out do each other in their tales of wonder.

Just then, Hanna came out of the house carrying a tray with dishes of blue ice cream and became the children's best friend. They ran and greeted her with wide eyes as if they hadn't eaten in weeks. 'Ooohs' and 'Yumms' filled the air, along with clanking spoons and dishes. As they brought the empty dishes back to her, she hugged each one and gave them a big kiss. The children were puzzled at the signs of affection, but deep down, a part of them liked it.

Sam rolled out of the ship and signaled Yoda with a droid whistle to get his attention. "Master Yo...da," called the feminine voice, still having trouble with her vocorder. "Sorry, Master," she added as he came closer, "I will run my diagnostic program again. The Head of the Jedi Council is requesting you call him at your earliest convenience. According to the Holo-news, there has been a problem on Pyotr and my memory banks show me that you were assigned to Pyotr as a bodyguard to the former Queen, Quina Nya before you took a sabbatical."

Yoda acknowledged the droid, who was still malfunctioning from her bout with the children, and walked past her to the cockpit. He slid into his small seat and worriedly punched in the information for the office of the Head of the Jedi Council. Master Ahanu came on almost immediately, as if he were waiting for the call.

"Master Yoda, have you heard about what has happened on Pyotr?"

"No, on a field trip with one of the children, I have been. Unaware of a problem, I was." Yoda was starting to become concerned because of Master Ahanu's demeanor.

"There has been an a coup on Pyotr. The royal family is being held in the castle and only the Jedi, because of our peaceful and non political stand on these matters, are allowed to enter to retrieve them. The Queen has asked for you personally to escort them off the planet. I know Maure will want to go along since this is her family. I am sending someone to assist Master Reyd and Laird with the children."

"Are they in danger?" Maure stepped into the holo-imager. "I'm sorry to interrupt Masters, but as you said, this is my family."

"No problem Maure, I just thought it might be easier on you to hear this from Yoda rather than over the holo-link. Yes, they are in some danger, but there is a shaky truce for now and we hope it will last until they have been safety removed from the planet. There is no sign of them being under a threat of assassination, as your ancestors were, but we are still concerned and want them off the planet as soon as possible." Master Ahanu's voice gave away the concern he felt for their safety.

Just then, Maure stepped out of the holo-imager and ran to the ramp and called for Tanacca and Skyler to come quickly. "There has been a coup on Pyotr," she told Master Reyd, who came to see what the commotion was about. "We have to go now!"

She started closing the ramp before Skyler was all the way up it and had to catch him with the Force when he stumbled. The ship's engines whirred as they started and the ship lifted as with a long swoop; then disappeared into the crimson sunset, leaving a collection of confused masters, children and Hanna watching it fly off into the darkness of space.

Maure hurried back to the holo-link and called the Palace on Pyotr, only to get static. _'This is not good,'_ she thought. She sighed then called the Temple and Master Alexa Jinn. The sight of her frazzled face was a comfort, and another worry. "Do you want us to stop and pick you up?" she asked the Head of the Creche: her cousin.

"No! I can't go. I am in quarantine with a couple of younglings who came down with Hoth influenza." Alexa looked pale with dark circles under her eyes from the illness and strained from the lack of news from their family.

"Do you know anything? I tried to call and couldn't get through," Maure said, hoping for some good news.

"No! The only message was a brief statement read by a Palace guard, saying, 'we are safe and the Jedi will be allowed to come pick us up.'" Alexa tried to make that sound as positive as possible, since she could see the strain on Maure's face. "She also asked for Yoda personally."

"Mother knows I am on assignment with Yoda," Maure said, "she knows I will be coming too." Maure allowed herself to feel relief at the thought her mother knew she was coming to her rescue.

"I'm going to go and see if I can get anything through the Force," Maure said. "Mother and I always have a strong Force connection."

Maure cut the connection and turned to see everyone watching her with loving concern in their eyes. "I'm all right. I am going to meditate," she said as much for her benefit as for them.

She walked past them to her room and sat on the floor, legs folded, and tried to calm herself and think of her mother. The words 'not like your ancestors' continued to ring in her ears, and the stories of them being hunted down and killed and her great-grandmother hidden and raised by the Jedi were also foremost in her thoughts. Pyotr was so much better now than under the political system of government that temporarily took over. Now they were starting the struggle all over again.

"Mother," she called through the Force, but in her worry and fear, nothing came to her.

She heard the door behind her open and Yoda's soft footsteps behind her. Then she felt his strangely soft hands on her temples and heard his soft voice say. "Relax... think only of your mother."

She took a deep breath and calmed herself only to feel her mother in pain and afraid.

**oOo**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN:** Once again I would like to thank BrentusofGath for beta-ing this. For the newbies to the story Maure is the great-grand daughter of Nyla, a friend of Yoda from his Padawan days. She is a new Knight and Skyler is her Padawan. They are on assignment with Yoda and his Padawan Tanacca. As we learned in ROTS even a Master can become a pupil.

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

Maure jolted out of the Force connection with the images and feelings of her mother's fear and pain still strong in her mind. She could feel a searing burn in her right side from a blaster bolt injury and the agony of it was almost too much to bear. Tears of worry for her mother burst out of her eyes and a flood of thoughts hit her all at once.

"It's a trap, they know I'm on assignment with you and they are trying to lure me... and Alexa back, so they can get the family all at once. They are only keeping them alive until we get there." Maure shook hysterically.

"Calm yourself, help, you will not be able to give her if you do not. Go call Master Ahanu, I will. Warn him; help we will be needing." Yoda turned and headed out of Maure's room. Tanacca stood anxiously in the hall outside waiting to see if she could help.

"Go in, your assistance she will need," Yoda told his padawan.

Maure tried unsuccessfully to hold her emotions in check while Yoda was in the room and now that he was gone she completely lost control. Tanacca rushed over and sat beside her, pulling her into a Wookie hug. The soft fur of her friend and the smell of fruity shampoo surrounded her in comfort, reminding her of her fluffy stuffed animal from the crèche.

Bray: "Shh! We will get there in time to save her," Tanacca brayed, softly stroking Maure's hair.

The strain of the experience drained her and forced her into an uneasy sleep. Tanacca picked up the much smaller woman and placed her gently on the bed, covering her with a fluffy blanket, then easing out of the room.

"Is she going to be all right?" Skyler asked as she exited the room.

Bray: "Only if we save her family."

Both padawans headed to the cockpit to see if there was any news from the Council. Yoda stepped out of the holo-imager, still thinking about Master Ahanu's instructions as they arrived.

"Sending out a message, they are. Saying we are on a mission on the other side of the galaxy and time to get there, it will take. Sending a group of Jedi in the guise of a trading mission, they are. Meet up with then and swap you and Master Dita Delling, about your size and coloring, she is," Yoda said, looking past Tanacca and Skyler. "Now, rest you should."

Skyler turned to see his drained and disheveled Master, leaning groggily on the cockpit bulkhead for support. Maure nodded her understanding and walked sadly back to her room without saying a word.

Yoda slid into his diminutive seat and called up the nav-computer; he altered course for their rendezvous with the other Jedi. He sat quietly thinking about the castle and all the nooks and crannies he discovered when he was acting as Nyla's bodyguard. The memories of being a padawan still fresh in his mind, brought joy and sadness at the same time. He failed to save Nyla but he didn't intend to fail again.

"Go assist her I am, see if we can contact her family."

**oOo**

After her brief rest, Yoda asked, "Are you ready to try again?" Maure got up, still tired from her first attempt and sat at the built-in table in the corner of her room. He helped her to make a Force connection with her mother. "Tell her what is going on and let her know we are not walking into the trap unprepared." She briefly connected to her, but all she got a feverish confusion of images, then she lost the connection.

_/ **Mother**/_ She called in vain, but there was only the absence.

"Sister, do you not have?" Yoda asked inquisitively.

"Yes, a twin Laure; she is next in line for the throne," Maure acknowledged, "but we were never close. I think it has something to do with our being separated so young. I have never made a connection to her."

"A good time to try, this would be, hmm," Yoda's all-knowing response pricked her conscience.

"All right, I'll try!" Maure leaned over and placed her head on her arms on the small table, too drained from the repeated tries to sit up straight. She thought about the sister whom she was so connected to at birth, yet so removed from after all these years.

_/ Laure... Are you there? I need to.../_

_/ I'm here! I have been trying to reach you, too. /_

_/ Mother? Is she.../_

_/ She's unconscious. It's a trap don't come. /_

_/ I know ... Mother.../ _Maure couldn't bring herself to finish her thought, so she just said, _/a rescue is being planned. Hang on, we're coming. /_

The Force connection was broken by something interrupting Laure's thoughts.

"Laure's mad, she's scared too, but she is mad," Maure fumed as she informed Yoda of her progress. "Mother is alive but unconscious. I told Laure we are coming. I wish I could help her somehow."

"Hmm! Something I read once in the Temple library. Never have I seen it done or tried, but could be, ...yes, it could be the answer. Willing to try something are you?" Yoda smiled and leaned forward as he spoke.

"Something to save my mother?" Maure asked hopefully.

"Yes, make a Force connection with her, then go into a healing trance you could," Yoda said, narrowing his eyes as he looked intently at his fellow Jedi.

"I don't know if I am strong enough for that." Maure puzzled over the new procedure, "But anything I can do to help her, I'm willing to try."

"Eat something and rest first, all your strength you will need," Yoda instructed his pupil.

**oOo**


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: Once again I would love to thank BrentusofGath for Beta-ing this and all my readers.**

**Chapter Nineteen**

There came a quiet knock on Maure's door. "Come in," she said as she pulled her boots on.

Skyler peeked sheepishly around the corner. "Yoda wanted me to tell you, we're at the rendezvous point and Master Delling is here. She wants to see you when you're ready."

"I'm ready now," Maure said more energetic than she had been in days.

Maure strode out of her quarters as if she was marching out to battle. "Dita, I'm glad to see you again. Are you sure you want to do this? I am not going to be the most welcome person there and you will be in grave danger, especially if they figure out you are not me."

"I wouldn't miss this fight for the world," Dita said boldly. "How often does a Jedi get to stand in for a 'Princess'?"

"Dita, do you remember the last time you called me 'Princess'?" Maure scolded her former créche mate.

"I just had to get your dander stirred up for the battle to come," Dita quipped.

"I think my dander has been sufficiently stirred, thank you." Maure hugged her friend and whispered, "Just don't get killed or I will never live it down."

The two disappeared into Maure's quarters and came out dressed in each others clothes, giggling about an incident where they played a trick on the Master of the Creche as younglings.

Skyler was sitting at the table in the cookery, finishing off a large breakfast when he saw them approach. Dita walked over to the padawan and mock scolded him for the way he tied his robes. Skyler was dumfounded, Maure never spoke to him like that, especially not in front of another Knight.

"Dita, go easy on the boy," Maure admonished her. "I want him back in one piece."

Skyler's head spun to the new Jedi Knight and he blushed when he realized their switch fooled him. "I think this will work; you fooled me."

Dita turned, looked at Maure and said, "Come on 'Dita', I'll show you how a Jedi 'Princess' gets things moving."

The new and improved Maure marched out of the ship and up to the collection of Masters and Knights mulling over their rescue plans. She inquired in her most regal voice. "All right Gentlemen, what are you going to do to get my family out of there."

Master Favian snapped to attention and started to inform the Jedi 'Princess' of their plan.

Maure circled around the fringe of the group until she stood behind Yoda, who was standing on a packing crate that the other masters had graciously stopped in front of for his benefit. She said under her breath, "My reputation will never be the same."

Yoda didn't ever turn his head but smiled in agreement.

**oOo**

For Maure, the waiting was almost unbearable as the final details were being worked out; when all she wanted was to go rushing in, lightsaber in hand and rescue her family.

The Pyotr businessmen attempted to delay the proceedings until the current crisis was over, but the undercover Jedi insisted that the goods were needed now or the winter would be unbearably cold on their home planet. Finally, they acquiesced and set a time and place for the shipment to be picked up.

Master Favian turned to 'Maure' and told her, "All we would like now is for you two to switch places."

The Jedi 'Princess' announced, "That has already been taken care of, now let's go, chop, chop gentlemen! My family is waiting." She shooed the Jedi into the waiting cargo carrier.

Favian turned and looked at the real Maure and said, "I think we created a monster."

Maure nodded in agreement and said, "Yes, but she does know how to get things done."

"I have pity on Yoda, being locked up on a ship with her," Favian said softly so as to not be heard by the 'Princess'.

"Don't worry, Yoda will take some of the starch out of her sails if she gives him a difficult time," Maure assured the Master as they entered the ship and closed the ramp behind them.

**oOo**

Maure wandered around the cargo carrier, too nervous to rest; the other Jedi were getting a quick nap as they finished the last leg of the trip, so she went to the cockpit. Favian was at the helm instead of the usual padawan; he fidgeted with the paperwork that was the pretense for the visit, then looked up as Maure came in.

"Can't sleep either?" he asked. "This is always the hardest part of a mission as you are waiting to see if the plan is going to work or if you are going to get yourself and the hostages killed." He remembered a second too late that this was the real Maure. "Sorry."

"Don't worry, I know what you mean," Maure assured him she wasn't upset.

"I hear you pulled off something new." Favian changed the subject.

"Apparently it's not new, since Yoda found out about it in the Temple library as a padawan. It's just not been done in a while." Maure tried to play down the importance of her accomplishment.

"But you healed your mother from across the galaxy," Favian said, admiring her strength.

"She's not healed, she's just not dying, and Yoda did most of that." Maure added modestly. "I was just a go-between."

"Say what you will, I talked to Yoda; he was impressed," Favian informed her.

The nav-computer beeped and dropped out of hyperspace and Pyotr stood before them; it's blue waters shining in the glow of the local star that supplied it with life. Maure's heart jumped with pride at the beauty of it, then with fear at the danger that existed on it.

"Are you ready for this?" Favian asked, trying to read the expression on Maure's face.

"Don't I look ready?" Maure asked, dropping her Jedi robe and gesturing towards her outfit; a not so blushing new bride outfit designed to distract the Palace guards.

Favian almost spit java juice all over the console at the sight of the Jedi in the shimmering silk dress. "Yes, you look like you're ...ready!"

"Dita picked it out. She said, 'it would get us past the Palace guards'".

"They will never see the rest of us, that's for sure," Favian gulped. "I'll wake up the others." He tapped the comm-unit and announced their arrival.

**oOo**

Favian landed the cargo carrier at the appointed slip and exited with the Jedi dressed as ship loaders to make the arrangements for their shipment. He noticed the puzzled look on the businessman's face and quickly explained. "I'm here for the shipment of blankets and woolen undies for Javal. With all your recent problems, I brought my own loaders, just in case."

His concerns were forgotten as Maure sauntered down the ramp and up to Favian. "Dear, I'm bored. Isn't this the place that has the beautiful Palace I heard so much about? Can you arrange a tour for me, please?" Maure cooed and slid her tiny hand inside the crook of Favian's arm.

"I don't think so, they're having a political disturbance here. We barely got permission to land to get our cargo, I'm sure they have better things to do than arrange for you to tour the Palace." Favian pretended to be indifferent to his wife's charms.

Maure turned her big, blue eyes toward the plain, oversized girth of a man and took a step to closer to him. "Is that true? I won't be much trouble, I promise," she pouted, using all her assets.

"I... I know the Head of the new Guard. I'll call him and see what I can do." He nervously turned, stepped a few paces away from them, pulled out his comm-unit and called up the Palace. He repeatedly looked back over his shoulder at Maure as he talked; as if describing her to the person on the other end. He came back well pleased with himself and confirmed. "I made arrangements with my bro- with the Head of the Guard for you to have a brief tour. I will personally escort you there."

"That's so sweet of you." Maure said, taking his arm and looked back at her husband with a see-I-told-you-look. "Oh! You are so strong, I bet your wife doesn't get ignored because of business."

"I don't have a wife..." He escorted her out of the warehouse and to a transport, not noticing that Favian and the cargo loaders were coming along.

The Head of the Palace Guards met them at the landing pad outside the palace and was impressed by the company his brother was bringing for a tour.

"Oh! My! You must be related. I can see the family resemblance, you're both so strong and handsome." She breathed the words and took the guard's arm. "I hear this is the most beautiful Palace in the galaxy; I thought they were talking about the building, not the guards."

Favian held back with the Jedi cargo loaders in the transport until Maure had their full attention, then slipped out the other side and followed at a safe distance. Favian's comm-unit vibrated that Yoda and Dita were arriving. As he entered the building he heard Maure ask demurely, "What's down this hall?"

"Favian," one of the undercover Jedi caught his attention. "Where is she hiding her lightsaber?"

Favian looked at Maure's skimpy outfit and said, "I don't want to know!"

**oOo**


	20. Chapter 20

Thanks again to my Master **BrentusofGath** for beta-ing this.

**Chapter Twenty**

Maure cooed, "Gentlemen, what's down this hall; it looks so elegant."

"Just call me Ewert. That hall; it leads to the royal apartments," the New Head of the Guards said, trying to sound very official and important.

Maure scrunched her shoulders and gestured with her fingers, "Ooh! Could I get one little peek? I always wondered what a Queen's bedroom would look like."

"Well," he thought aloud. "Okay, but just a short peek. We are expecting some excitement later today and I have to get things ready." He led her and his brother down the hall toward her mother's rooms.

She could still smell her mother's perfume in the air as they entered the carved bisque marble doorway. She didn't have to pretend to be impressed at the cream and blue brocade canopy bed she remembered climbing into with her parents when she visited them as a child.

_'Don't loose control now, focus.'_

"That sounds so important. Are you going to release the Queen as they are saying on the Holo-Net News?" Maure said, leaning into him as she asked.

"No." He said, then cleared his throat and said more forcefully. "No! It is a trap; we are luring the Queen's remaining family here. Then we are going to execute them all for war crimes." He announced to impress her.

Maure straightened violently but caught herself and said. "Oh! My! That sounds like one of the plots from Days of the Galaxy; that's my favorite show. I watch it every morning. You don't think I could stay and watch; it would be like, really being on the show."

"Killum wouldn't be happy if he found out I let you in the Throne Room to watch."

Maure's blood boiled as she thought of the Sith Lord they left alive on Kamino; when they picked up the children he no longer wanted to waste his time with. This is what he chose to do with that time. She bent seductively to adjust the metal anklet she wore on her left leg and detached the gold rod in the center, slid one of the rubies forward igniting a Yoda sized lightsaber. She spun and held it much too close to the head guard's throat. Favian burst through the doorway and grabbed the businessman.

Favian and Jarek exchanged glances. _'Ahh! That's where she hid it.'_

"Maure! You don't want to do that!" Favian said sternly.

"Yes, I do! I want to flick my wrist and remove those words from his mouth, permanently." Maure hissed and her eyes flashed a shade of green none of them ever saw on her.

Maure saw the terror in the man's eyes as he realized this was the Queen's Jedi daughter and his life was in her hands.

"If you take that step you will be following Killum down his dark road," Favian warned her.

Maure thought of her mother's words of advice so long ago. "Never go Dark!" She took a deep breath and let out a low rumbling growl them tapped his throat and spun her wrist and tapped the other side. "That is a reminder, as long as you live you will remember your life was in my hands and I spared it. My family do not commit war crimes."

Ewert folded into a pile on the floor. He and the Jedi thought momentarily he was dead but he felt his throat with both hands and all she did was leave a tattoo burn on both sides of his jugular veins; a permanent reminder of her mercy.

"You won't regret it," Favian said, relieved at her choice.

Maure turned and glared at him, but only said. "We have a big problem; Killum has seen me before and he will recognize Dita as a decoy immediately."

"Then we better get moving. Jarek, change into Ewert's clothes. Haskel, you and Manor take the passageway Yoda told us about, go to the guard's waiting room and change into the extra uniforms. Remember, keep your thoughts in check or Killum will sense you are Jedi."

Jarek slipped into the Head of the Guard outfit and followed them.

Maure went to the closet and found a simple cream tunic and leggings her mother sparred in. She stepped behind the door and came out slipping a beige and moss green robe much like the one she normally wore over them. Favian gave her a puzzled look to which she answered, "Queen Nya said this court would be run with a decidedly Jedi flare. Here, try this on."

She threw him her father's tan and brown sparring outfit. Favian finished tying the men up and changed himself. Maure walked over to them, touched their foreheads and they slumped over. "Maure!"

"Oh! Don't panic, I just put them to sleep. I don't want Killum sensing anything wrong from them." Maure heard Favian sigh with relief.

Favian stepped out from behind the door dressed in the shorter man's robe. Maure smiled, "Hi, Dad."

Favian gave her a stern, don't laugh look. "Okay, let's go; where is the passage way passageway Yoda mentioned?"

"This way." Maure lead led him into the sitting room adjacent to the bedroom. At the bookcase she felt for the lever behind the lip of the third shelf; once triggered it opened a panel in the wall beside the bookcase. Air swished into the compartment and out some unknown vent deep inside the palace. The passage was lit by light coming into the vents and reflecting off the luminescent crystals in the stones. Maure paced off the steps to the next lever, opening a secret chamber inside the passageway. _'Please, may these be my paces not Yoda's. Why didn't I ask?'_

Maure stopped at the number of paces required, but Favian passed her and counted out loud: "Eighteen, nineteen, twenty." He turned and pressed on a block just over Maure's head. The massive stone wall slid open as easily as a front door to a small cottage.

_'Favian's paces.'_ Maure stepped in and came out with an arm full of lightsabers and robes.

"Does Master Ahanu know about this?" Favian asked as he triggered the latch to close.

Maure smiled and said, "When he and Master Ahava were padawan's their first mission was to guard my ancestors. Now this room, I don't know if he knows about."

They ran down the passageway until they found the stairs in their instructions, up two flights, down the hall, around the corner into a much smaller hall. Favian started counting again so Maure followed him: "Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen." He turned and pressed a block about a foot lower than the last one and the wall swung open with a slight grating noise.

Maure pushed past Favian, to his displeasure. The room was pitch black and smelled unused; they both instinctively reached out with the Force and felt their way to the door. Favian caught her by the arm and insisted on going in first. He opened the door, lightsaber in hand and was met by two guards who pulled blasters out and aimed at the Queen. Favian's lightsaber flashed on, and with two blue swoops the guards were no more.

Maure scowled at him, _'and you fussed on me,'_ as she rushed past him to her mother. "Are you all right?" Her father took the lightsabers and robes from her almost without her noticing.

"Yes, Dear, I'm all right, thanks to you and Yoda," Queen Nyanna smiled at her daughter and whispered, still weakened by her ordeal. "I am always all right when I have my two brave girls with me. Laure said, you two finally made contact; I knew you would when the time was right," she said, so proud of her girls.

Maure fought the urge to fold up in her mother's arms and cry with relief. "We have to go; the man behind this knows me and my decoy will not fool him."

Favian watched as Neill handed his other daughter and son-in-law a robe and lightsaber and clipped one on the belt of the robe he quickly slid on.

Laure told her husband, "Sven, you carry Mother; Father is more experienced with a lightsaber." Favian realized instantly that even though Maure fought the Jedi Princess image, Laure embraced the Princess Jedi.

Laure dropped her royal robes right in front of everyone, leaving her tunic and legging; then she slipped into one of the robes Maure brought. Maure helped her mother out of the heavy jeweled royal robes that had probably saved her life and into one of the simpler ones. Sven picked up the Queen, still small and fit for her age and looked at Laure and Maure knowing they would be the ones to give the orders.

"We will lead the way..." Laure began.

"Favian, you and Father bring up the rear in case we're followed," Maure finished the order.

Favian looked to the father expecting him to protest. Neill smiled and told him, "I learned a long time ago that arguing with the women in this family is useless."

Favian motioned for them to lead the way.


	21. Chapter 21

**AN:** I would love to thank **BrentusofGath**, my illustrious Master, for beta-ing this and to apologize for the delay in posting. Darth Allergies has fought a relentless battle with my muse but at last she was victorious.

**Chapter Twenty-one**

Yoda called down for landing instructions as they arrived at the Palace and landed next to the transport that brought Maure and the undercover Jedi to the palace. An armed group of palace guards met them at the bottom of the ramp to escort them to the Throne room. Dita kept her hood over her head and her face in the shadows. The guards were surprised at the assortment of Jedi that came to collect the Queen. A Wookie following a little green creature like the one in the history books that protected Queen Nya so long ago, a female and male human. They recognized the female as being the Queen's daughter by her dress and knew their plan was about to succeed.

"Come to collect the Queen, we have," Yoda announced as they reached the guards. He noticed the smile on the guard's face as he saw Dita.

"I am to escort you to the Throne room where the exchange is to be made," the guard proclaimed.

Yoda and Dita, followed by Skylar and Tanacca were shown down the long elegant hall lined with portraits of past kings and queens. The marble felt cool on Yoda's feet and he remembered the layout of the room where they were headed.

As they approached, two doormen opened the door to the Throne room and bowed as they passed. Yoda heard a gasp as Skylar and Tanacca recognized the man on the throne.

"Killum, see you again so soon, we did not expect. Wondered why you allowed us to take the children, I did," Yoda said, taking the lead in the meeting.

"I have more important things to do than wipe noses," Killum sneered.

"Overthrowing the monarchy of Pyotr, being one," Yoda retorted.

"An illegal monarchy set up to the detriment of the real powers of Pyotr a long time ago. I am just righting a wrong you and your Jedi friends perpetuated on my ancestors when you put Queen Nya, a Jedi, on the throne so you could have control of the Galactic Workers Union," Killum fumed.

"Political power, the Jedi are not seeking," Yoda responded.

"You hide behind the veil of doing good but you want power just as much as the Sith. You are just too afraid to allow the Dark side to guide you," Killum raged. "I, on the other hand, am not." He Force pushed Dita's hood back expecting to see Maure and realized this was not the woman that he saw on Kamino.

"Guard's, get them!" he ordered and jumped to his feet, ignited his lightsaber and charged Dita. Guards started pouring out of the anterooms and in from the halls. Yoda Force pushed them back onto each other and batted a round of blaster bolts back at the ones that were already in the room. Much to Killum's surprise, some of the guards ignited lightsabers and started helping the Jedi.

Maure and Laure burst out from behind the curtained panel behind the throne and bounced over the guards backing Killum and announced, "I think it's me you're looking for," in unison.

He was not happy to be fighting Dita and the royal twins at the same time.

/ _I thought you were supposed to be rescuing the Queen_./ Dita called through the Force.

/_ Favian and Father have that under control, so I decided to join in on the fight_./ Maure twirled and batted Killum across the seat of the pants.

/_ A hot seat; isn't that a little juvenile?./_ Dita scolded Maure.

/_ Favian says I can't kill him; revenge leads to the Darkside. So I'll make him wish he never attacked my family/_ she responded as she tapped his neck, leaving a tattoo burn on his jugular vein.

/_ Maure, would you stop playing; this man is seriously trying to kill us./_ Laure warned as she blocked a blow with her lightsaber.

Maure spun and left an identical burn on his other jugular vein. /_ I am seriously trying to make him wish he never started this./ _She parried and sizzled the skin over his heart, showing she was able to kill him but chose not to.

Killum exploded in rage and charged Maure with all his anger boiling in his veins.

"Hey, that's my sister!" Laure warned as she attacked Killum.

"You two are a mess. Let me show you how to deal with a Sith." Dita interceded and took the lead as a group of guards broke in and charged the twins.

Yoda bounced and twirled, striking one, then another and landed in front of the twins. "Be here, you should not. Protect the Queen you were assigned."

"The Queen sent us to help," Laure defended her sister from Yoda's scolding. Laure backed up to Maure and the two fought as a unit, as if they had always been together.

Maure and Yoda's comm-units beeped to signal that the Queen was safely on board Maure's ship and they shared a glance to say it was time to end this. Maure knew she would not be able to kill the man that caused her family so much pain, though feelings of revenge were foremost in her mind. The next wave of guards poured in and the group fought a running battle back down the hall to the ship.

It powered up as they exited the Palace and slowly lifted from the landing pad as one by one the Jedi leapt onto the ramp. The last on board were Dita and Yoda, batting blaster bolts until the ramp enclosed them and the ship disappeared into the night sky.

A space cruiser followed them out of the star system, shooting turbo lasers as Favian dodged back and forth to avoid the blasts. Yoda ran past the fellow Jedi to the cockpit to assist Favian on the weapons. As they exited the star system, Favian called up the nav-computer and punched in the coordinates for Coruscant and jumped into hyper-space.

"I gather things didn't go well with the new government leader," Favian said, turning to Yoda.

"Killum, the Sith, he turned out to be," Yoda said, "but we got the Queen and her family out alive."

**oOo**

Maure and Laure headed for the room where they felt their Mother's Force presence as soon as they entered the ship. They knew there were enough Jedi there to handle the situation and now they became worried daughters. Queen Nyanna was propped up in the bed, sipping some juice the droid served her when the Princesses burst into the room and bounced onto the bed, bringing a proud smile to her face.

Sven was shocked at the actions of his wife and sister-in-law and scolded them. "Hey, be careful; you'll hurt the Queen."

"Nonsense, my girls couldn't hurt me. How did it go?" Nyanna smiled at her daughters.

"We lost the planet but we saved the Queen," Maure said, trying to put a good light on the situation.

"Yes, you did. It wasn't the first time the planet turned against the monarchy; we survived the last time and at least this time we are all together."

**oOo**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

By the time they arrived at Coruscant, the Queen was mostly recuperated from the ordeal on Pyotr. She met with the Chancellor and the Head of the Jedi Council in the private quarters arranged for her by her niece, Master Alexa Jinn, who was also head of the creche.

"Your Majesty," the gentlemen said as Maure escorted them into the livingroom.

The former Queen insisted on meeting them sitting in a comfortable chair rather than a chaise lounge as the healer preferred.

"Gentlemen, Nyanna Jinn is my name; I am no longer a queen. A queen without a planet is not much of a queen."

"There are always things to be done to get you position back, Your Hi... Mrs. Jinn."

"The people spoke when they threw their support behind a Sith. As my ancestor said: this is not something I sought for myself, but something I did for the people's benefit. If they do not want it, I shall be content to reside as a regular citizen," Nyanna said, confidently and with conviction.

"Your... Mrs. Jinn, where will you go and what will you do?" Master Ahanu asked.

"I... We still have a house in the Lake country of Naboo from Delila's family when the twins were hidden so long ago. We will go there and live. My daughter told me this morning I am going to be a grandmother." She noticed the men turn to look at Maure and her shake her head and mouth Laure but chose to ignore them. "I look forward to gardening and playing with my grandchildren; our family tends to have twins." The contentment in her voice impressed the men of power.

"I would like to stay and visit with Maure while the house is being prepared for us and have her take us there when the time comes; if that is all right with you Master Ahanu?" Nyanna asked, respectfully.

"May I suggest you not make any official announcements of where you plan to retire, in case the Sith Master has plans to seek you out for further revenge," Chancellor Esmond requested.

"Chancellor, I am sure a Sith Master can find me if he wants, no matter what precautions I take, but I will do as you ask for the sake of those protecting me." She smiled resolutely.

"If there is ever anything we can do to assist you, feel free to ask," Chancellor Esmond assured her.

"Thank you, gentlemen. I will be sure to remember that," Nyanna said and then requested, "If you will excuse me, I see my healer is getting nervous. I promised I would keep this brief." She fought unsuccessfully to keep her voice from sounding tired.

"Of course Your... Mrs. Jinn," they said, almost in unison.

On the way out, Master Ahanu paused to talk to Yoda.

"How long do you think you will be required to assist Mrs. Jinn?" Master Ahanu asked.

"Until they are settled on Naboo, I think would be advisable, don't you?" Yoda answered as he watched the healer and Maure assist her mother into her quarters.

"Yes, I think that is advisable. When you finish, I have an assignment for you, but there is no hurry. There is a new unit to pick up Force sensitive children forming; it needs someone to lead it and I thought of you since you are good with parents." Master Ahanu went ahead and outlined the assignment.

"Happy, I would be, to head the unit. Always close to children I feel. Close to same size I usually am," Yoda teased.

"I suspect Maure will want to assist in guarding her family for a while, so we are arranging for you and Tanacca to have a new ship and an upgraded model of the droid. One more 'child proof'." Master Ahanu smiled at the thought of what the children did to the droid and the Jedi on the trip.

"Funny it was not, at the time," Yoda said, shaking his head.

**oOo**

Maure sat in the courtyard, trying to get her nephew back to sleep before he woke up his sister. "Okay, Luka, a few minutes watching the swans and back to sleep with you or you will be asleep tonight when Moma and Poppa come home and Sissy will get all the attention."

Luka crinkled his nose at the thought of Sissy getting more attention than him but the swans caught his attention and he whooped with glee at the sight of them swimming and dunking for food. A mother swam by with a string of swanlings and he giggled and bounced with delight. "Bood," he called out.

"Yes, bird, these birds are swans. Can you say 'swan'?" Aunt Maure asked.

"Wan," Luka attempted.

"Sound like an early talker, we have," Yoda said, to Maure's surprise.

"Hey, I wasn't expecting to see you here; what's going on?" Maure asked and stooped instinctively to greet him, then remembered he frowned on it. So she covered her actions by saying, "Luka, this is Yoda."

"Yoa," Luka squealed.

"Humm! Strong in the Force this one is," Yoda said, narrowing his eyes and looking intently at the child.

"Yes, Sven and Mother think he should be sent to the Temple for training, but Laure thinks he should be home with her. Sven has taken her on a trip to try to convince her, but I am not sure if he will be successful. I tell her Aunt Maure and cousin Alexa will watch over him, but she has new Mother syndrome."

As they sat and talked, Luka drifted off to sleep in Maure's arms. She brushed his blonde curls off his face, placed him in the baby buggy and checked on Leila sleeping peacefully, smelling of baby soap and milk. She turned back to the bench where Yoda was perched and asked, "So what brings you to Naboo?"

**oOo**


	23. Chapter 23

**AN: **I would like to thank **BrentusofGath** for beta-ing this.

**Chapter Twenty Three**

"A mission, the Council needs you to go on, if able to leave family you are," Yoda asked quietly so as not to wake up the sleeping babies.

"I am on diaper duty until tonight, then I will be able to go. Where are we headed?" Maure asked, wondering why she was being reassigned.

"Up to his old tricks again, Killum appears to be." Yoda said, dreading Maure's response.

"The Council wants me to go on a assignment after Killum, with our history?" Maure said, shocked at what she was hearing.

"Taken from his family's home, Jocna has been, on a visit when disappeared. Requested you be assigned, his mother has. Trust you, she does." Yoda's voice sounded even more crackled than normal.

"I... it's not safe for my family or me to come to Killum's attention, but I can't say 'no' to a mother in need. I guess I can't hide here and wait for him to come for one of us. He probably knows where we are and will one day turn his attention to us again. Okay, I can leave as soon as Laure and Sven get back," Maure waffled out loud while making her decision.

"Is there any likely place he could have taken him?" she asked, preparing herself for the mission to come.

"Rumors. Back to Rustanic, he has taken him. Maybe to start a new brood, or decided to try again to turn him, he has. Strong in the Force Jocna is; a powerful apprentice, he would be." Yoda reasoned on the possibilities as he handed Maure a data pad with the information about Rustanic pulled up on it.

**

* * *

**

_**Rustanic is a sparsely populated planet on the outer rim, orbiting around a red sun. It is marked by harsh conditions on most continents, with only a small band of livable area on the southern continent. It is a dangerous area of space marked by unexplained disappearances and spatial irregularities. Dark forces govern the area residents. Many indigenous peoples have been run out or killed. The planet is a wasteland devoid of laws or government. The only spaceport is operated by thieves and murderers; travelers are advised to avoid this planet at all cost.**_

_**

* * *

**_

"Aah, yes, I remember Rustanic well; that was where you learned about the 'hot seat'." Maure smiled thinking of Yoda's reaction.

"Love that move, you do," Yoda teased.

"Hey! It gets the point across and it is not fatal. Problem, I do not see with it," Maure imitated Yoda, much to his 'mock' displeasure.

Just then, a transport flew over and landed on the landing pad on the meadow side of the house. An excited Laure ran down the ramp before it completely dropped. She followed the garden path around the house until she saw Maure shushing her and motioning that the babies were asleep. The sight of Yoda sitting on the bench surprised her and stopped her short of the buggies.

"How did you know?" Laure exclaimed. "I only decided today."

Yoda smiled and said, "The Force knew, not me."

"So you decided to send him to the temple," Maure said. "It is the best thing for him."

"Yes, I contacted Master Alexa Jinn and she suggested I read the family accounts of those who went to the Temple and those who didn't. I saw for myself the harm done to the ones who weren't allowed to learn to use their gifts to the fullest. I would never wish that on Luka just so I could have him with me."

Laure bent down over the buggy and touched Luka's soft cheek. "I saw how you turned out and I want that for him." Maure knew she was talking about her even though she never took her eyes off of the baby. She carefully bent down and scooped up the sleeping infant and cradled him close to her face, absorbing his scent and storing it in the safety of her heart. "All I ask is you take him quickly before I change my mind." She handed the sleeping baby to Maure and turned and ran into the house.

Sven came down the path as Laure ran past him. "I guess she told you."

"Yes, I was going to have to leave tonight already. I think we can drop him off before we go on our assignment." She saw Yoda nodding. "Remember, this will be harder on her than on Luka."

"I know, your mother has already warned me of what's to come." Sven smiled sadly. "I know I was withheld from training and it was hard on me as it was for Laure."

"I wasn't aware you were withheld also," Maure said, looking at her brother-in-law in a new light.

**oOo**

Later that night, Laure sat holding her son for the last time for what could be years and she tried to explain to him what was going on, even though he was too young to understand. "My darling boy, now it is your time to leave Moma. Aunt Maure and Master Yoda are going to take you on a great adventure. Just as Aunt Maure went to the Jedi Temple to be trained, you are going to be trained. I won't be there when you wake up at night or when you get scared or hurt, but it won't be because I love you any less than Sissy. You are my brave boy and I love you so much; you will never be out of my thoughts. Every time you go to sleep I will be there in your dreams, loving you and you will be in mine. One day you will come home for a visit, and I look forward to that day. If you ever need me, I will always be just a call away. Aunt Maure and Cousin Alexa have promised to take good care of you and I know they will. Now, it's time to go. I love you, my beautiful boy." She handed him to Sven then walked over to her mother, who handed her Leila.

"Hey, come to Poppa! I want you to be a good boy and grow up big and strong and always trust the Jedi to lead you. I will always love you, too. Now go with Aunt Maure." Sven handed the bouncing bundle of energy to his aunt and turned to wipe a tear; he didn't expect this to be as hard on him as it turned out to be.

"Aah! We're going for a ride in Master Yoda's ship. That sounds like fun doesn't it? Let's go to the cockpit and watch the stars appear," she said as she closed the ramp.

Soon the ship lifted off the pad and headed into the sky. Luka bounced and flapped his arms as the atmosphere faded from blue to black and the stars burst from their place of hiding in the late afternoon sky.

Maure thought of the life ahead of Luka and smiled. "You are going to be a great Jedi Knight one day and have many adventures and save many people."

Yoda narrowed his eyes, looked at the infant and nodded.

**oOo**

The trip was going well; Luka loved the stars and was a good traveling companion for his age. Yoda spent an unusual amount of time in the cockpit, but Maure didn't notice because she was busy with her duties, diapering and feeding her charge. She just got him off to sleep, when she felt the ship drop out of hyper-space and shake from the blast of a turbo laser. Luka woke with a fright from the emotions he felt from Maure, more so than the shockwave that went through the ship.

"It's all right; Yoda and Aunt Maure won't let anything happen to you," Maure reassured him, but it was evident to her and the baby she wasn't convinced of it herself.

The ship shook repeatedly as Yoda tried to evade the attackers and fire back at them. It soon became evident they lost their weapons and the engines were disabled. This was quickly becoming a losing the battle. She heard the sounds of someone clamping onto the ship as the enemy was preparing to board them.

_/Who?./_ She called out through the Force to Yoda.

**oOo**


	24. Chapter 24

Posted unbeta-ed.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Four**

Maure paused a second waiting for an answer from Yoda but got none. _'Do I leave Luka here and go help? What if something happens to the ship and I can't get back to him? I have to take him with me, no question about that. How do I fight with a baby in my arms? A hysterical baby at that.'_

_/ Sleep, everything's all right. / _Maure ordered her nephew and watched as he closed his eyes. She laid him down on the bed, pulled the sheet up and wrapped him in it. Then she tied the ends together and slid her head and one arm through the loop. She held him close to her with one arm and unhooked her lightsaber from her belt. A wave of her hand opened the door and she ran down the hall to the cockpit.

"Yoda, answer me, are you all right?"

"Busy, I am!" Came a crackled voice from the cockpit. "Being boarded, we are. Trying to get loose from the clamps, I am."

Maure could hear the strain in his voice and saw the strain in his diminutive body as she entered the cockpit. The belly of the ship outside the cockpit window was unfamiliar to her but fit the description of a new model reported to be used by some of the bounty hunters out on the rim.

The ship hissed as the pressure changed from the hatch being opened. _'I hope they got the clamp on properly or it is going to get hard to breathe very shortly.'_

She could hear several sets of feet marching down the hall and heard the droid protest then get shot by a blaster bolt.

Yoda groaned. "To many there are to fight. Surrender for the sake of the child, we must, find a time to escape later."

Maure retrieved her cloak from behind the copilot's seat and wrapped it around her and the sleeping infant. _'Laure is going to kill me if anything happens to you.'_

A tall dark headed man with ice blue eyes, wearing body armor and heavily armed followed by a squad of soldiers entered the cockpit as if he belonged there. "You can come with me or I can kill you here. My pay is the same dead or alive." The lack of feeling in his words made Maure shudder.

"Go with you, we will." Yoda said. "Life, we choose."

"Your lightsabers!" He demanded.

Maure and Yoda reluctantly handed their lightsabers to him and watched as he clipped them to his belt. He looked at Maure, noticed her unusual shape and pulled her cloak back. The sight of the infant in his protective carrier didn't interest him so he dropped the cloak back in place. "Follow me!" He barked and turned not even looking to see if they were following.

Maure used the Force to retrieve the baby's bag of diapers and a bottle from the cooler and got a mean look from the bounty hunter for it. He caught the bag and inspected its contents them threw it at her. She smiled and said softly. "Thank you!"

"None of that woman stuff works on me!"

_'I heard about guys like that.'_

He led them out of the ship, down the connecting tunnel to his ship and to the holding cell. "These are designed to hold Jedi scum."

Yoda and Maure entered and instinctively looked around to see if there was a possible way out, none was immediately evident.

"I told you!" He said almost gleeful that they found no means of escape. "I will come for you when we get to our destination." The door closed with a swish and they heard a lock clank repeatedly then silence.

Yoda paced back and forward inspecting every crack and seam in the cell but found no flaw in the design to exploit. "Be here for a while, we will."

Maure walked over to the metal slab extending out of the wall, took off her cloak and folded it to make a soft place to lay the infant down. She slid the loop over her head and unwrapped the sleeping child, smoothed his blond curls back off his forehead and smiled, sending a wave of peace into his dreams.

Just then she heard a voice. _/ Maure, why do I feel MY CHILD is in DANGER. /_

**oOo**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty Five**

Maure was drained and dejected after explaining to Laure what was going on. Yoda looked sympathetically at her as she slumped back on the slab that passed for a bed and pulled the still sleeping infant to her.

"That, was bar none the hardest thing I've ever done. Laure was so distraught at the thought of Luka being held captive by bounty hunters. They are calling the temple and requesting help to rescue Luka."

"Captive, also you and I are." Yoda reminded her.

"Right now she's not concerned with our safety." Maure sighed. "Who could they be? No one except Killum is after me and he left us alone for almost two years. Why would he be after us now?"

"Searching for Jocna, we are. Captors know looking for him, we will come." Yoda said, realizing they put the child at risk bringing him along.

"And we decided to take Luka to the temple knowing that. Oh! How dumb can I get," Maure whispered when Luka started to stir.

"Hi! Little man, Aunt Maure is going on a big adventure and you get to come along. I think I smell a dirty diaper." She noticed Yoda crinkle his nose and nod. "Let's get you cleaned up."

"There, that's better," she said a few minutes later as she placed the soiled diaper in a sealed container, much to Yoda's relief. "How about some milk; are you hungry?"

Luka kicked and grinned at the mentioning of milk.

"Thou planet twilight and stars grow dim, lovers meet at journeys end..." Maure sang as Yoda paced, then noticed under the slab a small imperfection in the bulkhead between the two cells.

Maure saw a smile spread across his face as he dove under the slab and she heard noises of metal being pried loose by the small master. After the baby's bottle, burping and several games of peep pie, Yoda emerged and quietly announced, "A hole, big enough for me to get through, I have made. Back soon, I will be. Safe here, you are for now."

Maure watch as he disappeared under the slab again before she could protest. "It looks like Aunt Maure is going to stay here and play peep pie with Luka. Aah! Boo!" Luka rolled with laughter at his funny aunt.

**oOo**

Yoda climbed through the hole into the next cell, which was empty and he saw the door was open. He reached out with the Force and searched the hall outside and found it empty. Apparently the bounty hunters were not concerned with them escaping. _'Over confident, they are. Their downfall, it will be.'_

Yoda quietly took the cover off the air vent in the hall and climbed in_. 'Bad, this could be,'_ he thought as he remembered being stuck in the vent when Nyla was captured._ 'At least, strange roots, I have not eaten.'_

An hour later and what seemed like miles of conduit, he found the captain's quarters and the bounty hunter sleeping loudly on the bed. The desk nearby was covered with an assortment of datapads, a pair of undergarments and a half eaten sandwich. Yoda frowned at the sight, but noticed one of the datapads showed a message. He floated the pad to the vent cover and read.

**Bounty: 50,000 credits for Yoda, dead or alive. Last know assignment to retrieve Maure Jinn from Naboo for a mission to Rustanic to collect contact...**

The bounty hunter groaned and turned over in bed, causing the already shocked Yoda to lose concentration and drop the datapad.

A startled bountyhunter sat up in bed, looking for the sound that woke him. Yoda leaned back in the shadows of the vent and sat quietly, waiting to see what the hunter would do. He checked the lock on the door and found it secure, then noticed the pad lying on the floor. _'I have to get around to cleaning this room.'_ He shut down the pad and threw it farther back on the desk and crawled back in bed. His snores soon filled the room again.

_'Me, they are here for. What did I do? Unusual, this is,'_ Yoda thought._ 'Must get back to Maure before discovered missing, I am.'_

**oOo**

Soon, Yoda crawled back into the cell, startling Maure. "Did you find out anything?"

"Yes," Yoda said sheepishly. "Yoda, they are after, not you."

"What did you do to have someone put a bounty on your head?" Maure asked, but before she could get an answer, the door lock started clanging and the ship dropped out of hyper-space.

"We are here and you are about to make me a rich man." The bountyhunter said, looking down at Yoda.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty Six**

_**Eighteen months earlier**_

Yoda, Tanacca and Skyler left the Council chamber on an assignment, a minor diplomatic mission to oversee the transfer of power from one regime to another. The danger level was considered minor, so the Council decided to send Yoda and the two Padawans. Skyler had been tagging along with Yoda since Maure's leave to guard her family. It had been months since Skyler tripped over Yoda and his hip was healing nicely, his memory of the incident faded. No one seemed to notice the changes in Skyler's wardrobe lately. His sleeves became too short and his robe crawled up his ankles; the lack of observation would prove disastrous.

Yoda sat squirming in his seat in the cockpit; it was too soft and still being broken in. He cooked his favorite stew to give the ship that homey feeling and arranged his few pieces of memorabilia. The new droid had been altered to appear less human and its name changed from Sam one to S2-D2. It was shorter, with a dome top and straight sides with less visible controls. Yoda looked at it and scratched his head, wondering what the designer's logic was behind the design.

Tanacca and Skyler took turns as co-pilot since both fit the seat, Skyler being almost as tall as the female Wookie. It took them no time to settle into the ship between youthful exuberance and the Jedi lack of possessions. Tanacca's were mostly grooming supplies, a seven foot walking fur coat tended to cause problems, especially during shedding season. Skyler carried an extra suit of clothes in a larger size, just in case his growth spurt didn't stop at six inches. Then there was the picture of him and Maure, the day she chose him as her padawan; he formed the usual student crush on the older female teacher and missed her already.

Skyler finally overcame his space sickness and grew to love traveling in hyper-space, so he slipped off to the cockpit every chance he got. He sat meditating when the nav-computer beeped and announced their arrival. "Destination: Mustafar."

**oOo**

Pre-Governor Oreste met them at the spaceport with an armed guard for his own protection, not Yoda's, and was now following him and the padawans into the chambers of the ruling authorities of Mustafar. The change of power was supposed to be routine, but the new Governor of the planet requested a Jedi presence just in case. Some on the planet still respected the Jedi and wanted them to return, but the change from a lush green planet to the volcanic globe fit only for mining was not the ideal place to house a Jedi temple anymore. Out-going Governor Verdan did not seem to hold the Jedi in such high esteem.

This was not the first change of power ceremony Yoda attended, or the most elaborate, but it definitely was the longest and no one was allowed to sit. He started to get an uneasy feeling about the halfway point, but could see nothing of concern behind him.

On his third turn to try to find the source of the disturbance, he noticed he was the subject of discussion of the two Governors. He straightened and faced forward, giving them each a reassuring smile, only to wish he was as sure of the situation as he tried to make them.

He stood silently, trying to look Masterly and confident, unconcerned, yet aware of his surroundings when it happened.

As usual for a teenager suffering from a growth spurt, Skyler dosed off during the ceremony. Since he was standing guard over the control panel of the newly installed repulsor field, he had the misfortune of falling on the disengage for repairs button and the codes were in the process of being changed. The head tech had been called off planet when his wife went into labor suddenly a month early. The assistant to the head tech knew the old codes, but forgot the new codes in the excitement.

Yoda tried to use the Force to find the new codes, but only succeeded in shutting down the forcefield protecting the office complex, speeding up the demise of the building and increasing the danger of injury to the members of the governor's party.

The abandon-the-complex-alarm was finally sounded, but not in time to prevent injury to all those present. The out-going governor was at the back of the room, so was the last to be evacuated, thus suffering disfiguring burns to most of his body. He swore Yoda did this on purpose because he objected to the Jedi presence at the ceremony and swore to get even. Yoda assumed he was just speaking out of pain, until he saw the name of who to contact for payment on the bounty hunter's datapad.

**-Wemle Verdan Mustafar communication code #24349**

**oOo**

Maure quickly grabbed the diaper bag and her cloak, adjusted Luka in her arms and followed Yoda out of the cell. The trip out of the ship seemed twice a long as the trip into it. Their hope had been to get on board and make an escape, but now that hope was all but gone. Maure continued to wait for Yoda to tell her through the Force who was waiting for them outside the ship but he didn't look at her the whole trip. She wondered what was wrong with his face; it looked almost ... red.

**oOo**

As they neared the ramp to the ship the heat confirmed Yoda's suspicions; they were on Mustafar. _'Nothing good happens on Mustafar,'_ Yoda thought.

At the bottom of the ramp stood Verdan and an army of armed guards. Verdan was pleased with himself for actually bringing the little troll back to experience justice, his form of justice. The sight of Maure carrying a child was not as pleasing.

"Logant, who is she and what is that?" he hissed out of the scarred face.

"They were with him, so I was obliged to bring them along." Logant realized that decision was going to cost him.

"I said nothing about bringing passengers with you. I only paid for and only wanted **it**."The hatred rang in his voice.

"I know a planet where good looking women fetch a pretty price; I can unload her there. The brat can go to one of the baby shops on Corelia; some people pay well for a brat such as him to raise." Logant reasoned aloud.

Yoda saw the anger building in Maure's face, then saw her release it to the Force. _'The guy who bought her, I would hate to be.'_

Maure turned and looked at the scarred gentleman and said in her softest voice. "I could be of great value to you, there are many ways for one to use their Force capabilities. I have always felt restricted by the Jedi code and have long looked for someone strong enough and rich enough to make my exit worth my sacrifices. I think you could be that man, once you get rid of the troll, we should talk."

Yoda gasp in horror at the betrayal, "Maure, how could you!"


End file.
